


The Lie

by Hester_Of_Ravenswood



Category: The School for Good and Evil - Soman Chainani
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-09
Updated: 2019-04-30
Packaged: 2020-01-07 13:55:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 21,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18412004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hester_Of_Ravenswood/pseuds/Hester_Of_Ravenswood
Summary: The kingdom of Camelot wants to have an alliance with a nearby kingdom and send their friends as ambassadors. The twist is: their kingdom only trusts other homosexuals.





	1. Chapter 1

Tedros had to open his big mouth.

 

Tedros and Agatha had been in the middle ofa meeting with the kingdom of Dignitarity when they had learned of their... interesting culture.

 

Apparently, everyone in their country was... gay.

 

Tedros had been very surprised to hear this and had... made some very questionable comments.

 

Nothing... insulting... just stupid.

 

"Oh really? That's awesome! We have tons of friends like that! Agatha and I are actually the odd ones out-"

 

Agatha kicked him under the table, glaring.

 

"Is that so?" the king asked, seeming to calm down.

 

They were trying to make political ties to this kingdom and the other country had been very hesitant to trust 'straights' as they had called them.

 

"Then please, send them as your diplomats to my country."

 

With that, he spun and strode off, his husband walking beside him.

 

"Tedros!" Agatha cried as soon as they were out of earshot.

 

"We don't know a single gay couple!" she hissed.

 

Tedros buried his head into his hands.

 

"I panicked!"

 

Agatha sighed, running a hand through her hair.

 

"Alright... I'll write some letters. I'm sure there's some of our friends that would be willing to help... maybe I should leave out a little bit of information..."

 

With that, Agatha made her way out of the meeting room toward their chambers to get some papers.

 

~

 

Hester looked down at the paper Dot had handed her.

 

"It's from Agatha. She needs our help with some country I've never heard of."

 

Anadil and Dot looked at her as if asking whether they were going or not.

 

Hester nodded and they started to pack up, turning toward Camelot.

 

They could make it by the end of the day.

 

~

 

Beatrix looked down at the letter and then at her best friend.

 

Reena nodded and the two packed up, Kiko following after the two.

 

Beatrix didn't particularly like Tedros, but she and Agatha had gotten closer recently and she was willing to do her a favor.

 

But perhaps if they had known all it would entail they wouldn't have agreed.

 

~

 

Hort and Nicola had been spending the week in Camelot castle for a quick break when they got the news from one of the Camelot guards asking for help.

 

Hort looked to his girlfriend and she nodded.

 

"Least we can do for letting us stay here."

 

The two held hands and made their way down the stairs, neither knowing that this might be the last time they did so.

 

~

 

Sophie flounced into the meeting room and threw her arms around Agatha.

 

"Of course I'll help you, Aggie!" she said happily.

 

Agatha let out a relieved sigh.

 

"You might need to work on your acting," she muttered, hoping that Sophie wouldn't take this news as a deal breaker.

 

~

 

"You want me to what?!" Sophie cried to her sister/best friend.

 

Agatha nodded.

 

"You have to. It's Tedros' fault really."

 

Sophie stared at her for a long moment before sighing.

 

"As long as I don't need a girlfriend..."

 

Agatha nodded quickly.

 

"Just one couple will be enough, but we need several people to go. If Tedros has just kept his mouth shut..."

 

Agatha shook her head and Sophie gave her a suffering look.

 

"That's why I gave up on men all together."

 

Agatha slapped her arm and Sophie let out a laugh at her own joke.

 

If only she'd known the truth within it.

 

~

 

The Coven made their way into the castle, looking around and seeing who else had come.

 

They were surprised to find most of the core questers had come, even Ravan.

 

It wasn't long before Agatha said they needed to do some quick surveys.

 

"Please pair up with someone of the same gender! Preferably someone you know well!" a guard had said for her while Agatha looked worried that one of them might kill her.

 

Hester narrowed her eyes suspiciously at that, but didn't say a word.

 

~

 

Hester looked down at her test and then back up, seeing Anadil across the room from her, far enough that they wouldn't be able to talk to each other.

 

It felt weird, being that far away from her covenmates.

 

They'd been together nonstop for months and this might be the furthest they'd been in all that time.

 

A minute later, Agatha came in and asked Anadil to follow her out.

 

Hester frowned.

 

It felt... weird to be away from her friend.

 

She shook her head and looked at the guard as he gave her a paper to fill out.

 

She picked up her pencil and raised an eyebrow at the questions.

 

They were all about Anadil.

 

Questions were as follows:

 

What is their favorite color?

She'll say black, but it's green.

What is their favorite animal?

Rats.

What is their birthday?

October 1st.

When did you meet?

First day of school, January 3rd.

How long have you known each other?

Three, almost four years.

Would you say they're your best friend?

Yes.

 

There were even questions about physical traits, as if someone could forget what their friend looked like.

 

What's their hair color?

White.

What's the color of their eyes?

Red.

What's their special talent?

Rats.

 

She wondered what this could be for...

 

There were about thirty more questions like this, but Hester knew them all.

 

Of course she did.

 

They were about Ani and she knew everything about her best friend...

 

Probably a bit too much now that she thought about it...

 

She shook her head.

 

These questions actually seemed... easy.

 

One question even asked about their famous lineage, but she had no trouble with that, actually laughing.

 

She wondered for a moment if she could answer these questions for anyone else.

 

She doubted she could get so many right on Dot, but she'd definitely do well.

 

Anyone else... she'd be a lost cause.

 

~

 

Anadil breezed through the questions equally easily, knowing exactly how Hester herself would answer these questions and occasionally laughing.

 

She handed hers into one of the guards before leaving and finding Hester walking out of the room they'd put her in as well.

 

Looks like she'd finished just as fast.

 

Both were the first ones to finish and they sat down at the same table, both feeling a bit awkward at knowing each other so well.

 

~

 

About an hour and a half later, Agatha an Tedros came back in.

 

Before thy could speak, Hester asked the question they were all wondering.

 

"What were those tests for?"

 

Agatha and Tedros exchanged a look before Agatha spoke.

 

"Hester, Anadil, can I speak to you two in the other room?"

 

The pair glanced at each other much as the rulers of Camelot had before they both nodded, standing up and following the Queen out.

 

"The test was to see who knew each other the best," she started.

 

Anadil and Hester raised an identical eyebrow.

 

"And, well, for your mission, we need two people of the same gender to..."

 

She took a deep breath.

 

"Pretend to be a couple."

 

Both stared at her in shock.

 

Agatha cringed.

 

Hester's demon twitched on her neck and her face flushed red as she stopped being in a state of shock.

 

"No."

 

Anadil took a bit longer to come around and when she did, her whole face turned pink, a hard task to accomplish for an albino.

 

Agatha ducked as Hester's demon engorged with blood and threw itself at her.

 

Anadil kept blushing, glancing at her friend.

 

"Why?" she asked in a quiet breath.

 

Agatha rolled to the side, barely avoiding a burst of fire that Hester's demon shot at her.

 

"It's a diplomatic thing! They'll only speak to those who they think are attracted to the same gender! And Tedros said we had a bunch of friends like that so that's why we wrote to all of you!" Agatha cried as she continued to dodge attacks from Hester and her demon, both still looking quite enraged.

 

Anadil couldn't help but feel heat rush to her face.

 

The idea even made her... excited.

 

"Hester it'll only be for a while... and the king of Camelot will owe us a favor."

 

Hester stopped for a moment, looking at her.

 

Her face was red, but Anadil couldn't tell if it was red from anger or something else.

 

Hester turned back to Agatha, jaw clenched.

 

"Five favors."

 

Agatha nodded quickly in agreement.

 

Hester ground her teeth for a seemingly infinite moment.

 

"Fine," she growled.

 

Anadil felt her heart start to beat faster.

 

So... they were doing this?

 

Anadil didn't know why it made her feel so excited.

 

Hester stalked out of the room and Anadil followed after her.

 

Hester's demon slunk back onto her neck with a look of regret.

 

Hester glanced at Anadil with a raised eyebrow.

 

Anadil nodded.

 

Yes, she was sure.

 

They could do this.

 

Just because it made Anadil's heartbeat quicken go incredible speeds didn't mean anything.

 

Just because the idea of being Hester's fake girlfriend made her insides squirm in nervousness and excitement didn't mean they couldn't do it.

 

It was for Agatha...

 

Yeah, for Agatha.

 

Not because this made her super excited.

 

~

 

Hester irritably shoves her things into her backpack.

 

“Hester, if you’re not comfortable with this we don’t have to do it,” Anadil said quietly, not knowing why it made her heart sink at the prospect.

 

“It’s fine. Five favors from a king, even one as pigheaded as this one, is worth pretty much anything.”

 

Hester flashed her a devious grin (that one that promised mischief and made Anadil’s knees weak).

 

“It’ll only be a few days,” she said, picking up her backpack and making her way out.

 

Anadil shook her head to clear it and grabbed her own bag, following after her.

 

Just a few days... Anadil didn’t know why, but she knew she had to make the best of it.

 

~

 

Dot excitedly walked down the path, almost skipping.

 

“What did Agatha say to you two? Did she say why we had to do those weird papers?” she asked.

 

Hester tensed.

 

“It doesn’t matter.”

 

Dot looked to Anadil, but the chocolate-loving witch knew she wouldn’t get a different response.

 

Anadil and Hester were always on the same page, a united front against the rest of the world.

 

“Whatever it is, I failed,” Sophie said, moping a bit.

 

“I had to switch with Nicola and I haven’t known her for that long!”

 

Nicola snorted and Sophie looked over at her.

 

“What? You think you did better?”

 

“Of course I did. It’s all in your fairytale.”

 

Sophie gaped at her and Nicola rolled her eyes.

 

Sophie watched her go, mouth open in shock.

 

Hester and Anadil were snickering, both forgetting about the awkward mission that were supposed to do for a minute.

 

“How far is this place?” Sophie asked, trying to change the subject.

 

“About three from where we are now,” Dot said, chomping on some chocolate.

 

Sophie let out a gasp.

 

“I don’t have the right shoes for this!”

 

“You never do,” Nicola commented dryly.

 

Sophie shot her a withering look.

 

Hester and Anadil kept laughing, Dot joining in.

 

~

 

They arrived much sooner than either witch would have wished, both thinking about the weird mission once more.

 

“Hester, Ani, what’s got you two so upset?” Dot asked, watching them with narrow eyes.

 

Hester gave her a glare.

 

That was enough to silence anything else she was going to say.

 

“Nothing’s going on, Dot,” Anadil said sharply.

 

Hester nodded quickly.

 

A man walked out, clearly a servant.

 

“Welcome! Welcome!” he said happily.

 

“Please follow after me to the king!”

 

The group looked around before they hurried after the guard, Hester and Anadil both trailing behind with the same look on their faces.

 

They walked into the palace and the two let out a sigh.

 

Anadil felt her heartbeat quicken.

 

Just the idea of them pretending to be a couple made hear rush to her face.

 

The king looked at the delegates and they all gave their best smiles, trying to win them over (except for Anadil and Hester).

 

Anadil suddenly felt something graze her hand and she looked down.

 

She blushed a bright pink color as she realized it was Hester’s own hand.

 

She wasn’t sure if she was going to be able to handle (pun) this.


	2. Chapter 2

Anadil tried her hardest not to look down at their hands, but it was difficult.

 

"Welcome!" boomed the king.

 

"You are the ambassadors from Camelot?" the king's husband asked.

 

Were they both kings?

 

Nobody in their party was quite sure.

 

"Yes, we are," Hester said, always ready to take charge.

 

The king looked down at their hands and then to a guard.

 

The guard nodded.

 

He walked toward them and Hester instinctively pushed Anadil behind her.

 

Anadil blushed, knowing that reaction had nothing to do with their acting.

 

That was just Hester.

 

The guard raised an eyebrow.

 

"We're not going to hurt you. You're a guest in our castle!" the king said with that same smile.

 

"We only wish to show you to your rooms."

 

Everyone in their group was staring at Anadil and Hester's still intertwined hands.

 

"I'm sorry but what's happening?!" Sophie asked indignantly.

 

Nicola kicked her subtly.

 

"Were you not listening? We're getting our rooms."

 

"I mean with Hest-"

 

Nicola kicked her again, this time harder.

 

"I'm sorry for her rude outburst, your highness."

 

Unlike some people, Nicola had read her history textbook before they got here and knew of their somewhat uncommon traditions.

 

"It's quite alright. I'm sure your girlfriend is just tired from the long journey."

 

Sophie's eyes widened.

 

"Girl-"

 

Nicola snatched onto her hand, making the blond instantly shut up.

 

"Yes, she's had quite the long day."

 

Nicola shot a look to all of their companions and told hem to shut up.

 

She tried to give Sophie that look, but the blond was still staring at their hands.

 

"Please, come this way. It's late and we can introduce ourselves in the morning," the king said kindly, gesturing at a few of his servants who went to each guest.

 

~

 

Anadil could feel her palm sweating and glanced at Hester.

 

The tattooed witch didn't seem to notice as she followed the guard leading them down the hallway.

 

"Here is your room," he said.

 

"And where's mine?" Anadil asked.

 

The guard raised an eyebrow.

 

Hester forced a smile.

 

"She's kidding, of course."

 

Anadil blushed as Hester opened the door and led her inside.

 

"Thank you," Hester said before closing the door.

 

Hester let go of her hand and Anadil instantly felt like she was missing something.

 

Hester started snickering and Anadil frowned, looking at her.

 

"I can't believe they think Nicola and Sophie are dating."

 

Anadil's eyes widened.

 

She'd forgotten that.

 

She laughed and the two stayed like that for a good two minutes.

 

Anadil only sobered up as she saw the twin sized bed.

 

Where was the other one?

 

She suddenly blushed.

 

Oh.

 

Only one.

 

Got it...

 

Hester seemed to have realized the same thing, but she shrugged.

 

"We're been in closer quarters before. And this time we don't even have Dot crowding us."

 

Anadil nodded, trying not to turn a bright pink color.

 

"Yeah."

 

She didn't notice how Hester awkwardly shifted on her feet as she tried to convince herself of that.

 

Yeah. This was perfectly fine...

 

~

 

Nicola let go of Sophie's hand like it was on fire as soon as the door hand.

 

She vaguely considered washing her hands.

 

Sophie was still staring at Nicola.

 

She'd known about them having to act like they liked the same gender... but Hester and Anadil acting like a couple?! And that was nothing compared to her and Nicola!

 

"Yeah I'm not happy about this either, Sophie," Nicola said snidely as she looked around the room.

 

Sophie looked down at the other girl, finding herself frowning.

 

"What's wrong with me?!"

 

Nicola gave her a look before throwing her bag on the ground.

 

"You don't want to hear my opinion on that subject."

 

Sophie's face turned bright red and she glared at her fake girlfriend.

 

Nicola was already getting out her clothes and going to the bathroom for a shower and before Sophie could say anything, she was gone.

 

The blond glared at where she'd disappeared.

 

Sophie would make a girlfriend.

 

Nicola would be incredibly lucky to have a girlfriend like her!

 

She should be honored that she could even pretend to be dating her!

 

And Sophie would show her that.

 

Yeah.

 

By the end of their visit, Nicola would know what a catch she was.

 

Sophie turned on her heel and threw her suitcase onto the small bed.

 

There was no reason to care so much, of course.

 

No reason at all.

 

And she most certainly blushed when Nicola had grabbed her hand (and she completely hated the way Nicola's hand was so warm and soft unlike Rafal's... not even like Agatha's).

 

~

 

"Oh, we're not together," Beatrix said.

 

The maid raised an eyebrow.

 

"Of course not," she said, very obviously winking at the two of them.

 

Both blushed and hurried into the room, neither saying a word to the other in their embarrassment.

 

Nothing was going on with them.

 

It was just this weird place we're everyone seemed to be gay.

 

~

 

Hester rolled her eyes at the small bed and slid under the covers.

 

Anadil followed slowly, trying to ignore it when their legs brushed against each other.

 

They weren't actually together.

 

This place was jus playing with the albino witch's mind.

 

She didn't like it.

 

Hester slapped the lamp to turn it off and instantly started to pull the covers up to her chin.

 

Anadil forgot she was such a cover hog.

 

She shivered slightly and huddled in the small space she had.

 

The idea of sleeping closer to Hester just made her blush for unknown reasons.

 

~

 

Nicola brushed past Sophie and toward the bed.

 

"Get a shower so I can get some sleep," she said curtly before falling onto the bed.

 

Her hair was a mess, but Sophie had to grudgingly admit she thought it was... cute.

 

Wait, cute?!

 

What was wrong with her?!

 

~

 

Anadil continued to shiver, wondering what monster kept this castle so cold.

 

She felt movement from the other side of the bed and soon Hester flopped over.

 

"Ani," she slurred, clearly still tired.

 

"What?" she asked, hating how breathless she sounded.

 

What was making her feel so weird?!

 

"Stop being stubborn. There's not enough room on the bed for this. You're gonna fall off."

 

Anadil stayed put and Hester growled.

 

She reached her arm out and wrapped it around Anadil's waist, yanking her backwards.

 

Anadil let out a surprised sound and she was pulled back against Hester.

 

Anadil's brain stopped working.

 

Hester was holding her.

 

Hester was spooning her.

 

She blushed a dark pink color.

 

"Get some sleep," Hester grumbled.

 

There was a moment of silence before Anadil could hear Hester's soft snores, her breath tickling Anadil's neck.

 

Anadil's breath was going in and out exceedingly quickly.

 

Something was wrong with her.

 

Something had to be.

 

Hester moved in her sleep, her nose coming to nestle against Anadil's neck.

 

Anadil found herself being lulled to sleep by Hester's even breaths.

 

She would worry about whatever was wrong with her tomorrow.

 

~

 

Sophie slipped under the covers and tried to ignore Nicola as she rolled over away from her.

 

Sophie didn't know why she felt so weird around the other girl.

 

~

 

Sophie heard like snoring and was about to get to sleep herself when Nicola rolled over and her hand slapped Sophie's waist, holding onto her.

 

Sophie turned over in surprise and looked down at a very asleep Nicola.

 

Sophie started to move away and Nicola let out a quiet groan, shifting closer and pulling Sophie down toward her.

 

Sophie found her head set on Nicola's shoulder and felt her face turn red.

 

What?!

 

What was going on with her?!

 

~

 

Anail woke up when she heard a loud squeaking sound.

 

It was one of her rats.

 

She jumped and looked for her rat, but something was holding her down.

 

Her rats scurried over and laid down in her hair.

 

She looked over her shoulder and saw that Hester had moved and accidentally squashed one of Anadil’s rats with her head.

 

Anadil blushed as she realized that Hester’s arm was the weight that had held her down a moment ago.

 

She heard Hester groan and shift closer to Anadil.

 

Well, actually, Hester didn’t move closer.

 

She moved Anadil closer by pulling her from where she held her around the waist.

 

Anadil let out a sound very reminiscent of her rat’s as she was practically dragged across the bed.

 

Hester let out a quiet, muffled sound that Anadil hoped was happy.

 

She didn’t know why Hester made her feel so... embarrassed?

 

Well, not just embarrassed. She made her feel a lot of weird emotions she’d never really felt before.

 

There was a knock on the door and both of them jumped awake, Hester letting out a groaning sound.

 

“Mmmmm... Ani, tell Dot to shut up,” she moaned.

 

But she tightened her hold on Anadil which seemed hypocritical.

 

Anadil froze, her heart beating out of her chest.

 

Hester suddenly looked down and realized she was exceedingly close to her friend and pulled back, blushing slightly.

 

“Breakfast will be served in the dining hall in fifteen minutes if you two are not... occupied.”

 

Hester and Anadil’s faces both turned bright red.

 

“I-uh-need to go change,” Anadil said awkwardly before hurriedly walking out.

 

Hester nodded and tried to ignore what the servant had been insinuating about the pair.

 

~

 

Sophie woke up and as soon as she realized how close she was to Nicola, she leapt from the bed and glared at the girl with a deep blush on her face.

 

How did she think she was?! Getting so close to her while she slept! Pretending to be dating her! Nicola was such a jerk!

 

She couldn’t believe they had to pretend to be together!

 

Sophie would never date someone like her, even if she did like girls.

 

Just because Nicola was super smart and always had a plan...

 

Just because Nicola had the prettiest sparkling brown eyes and black hair that framed her beautiful face so well...

 

Sophie would never like someone like that.

 

Just because she was so amazing...

 

Of course not.

 

Because Nicola was super annoying and frustrating... and when she got all stubborn she crossed her arms and got the poutiest little glare (even if she wouldn’t say it was pouty).

 

Nicola shifted when Sophie got up.

 

Sophie had never seen Nicola look so calm before... she was even prettier now than she had ever been.

 

Sophie shook her head.

 

What the heck was she even thinking?!

 

Why would she think that?!

 

Sure Nicola was pretty but Sophie wouldn’t think about that...

 

~

 

Hester and Anadil awkwardly walked out of their room and made their way toward the dining hall as they had been instructed.

 

As they walked, they realized that every couple here was overtly affectionate.

 

Sure they’d held hands yesterday, but that was more to let everyone know they were supposed to be a couple, both their friends and the king, but they weren’t exactly ready for...

 

Hester grabbed Anadil’s hand and the albino felt color rush to her cheeks, something that sounded a lot like an oxymoron.

 

Hester practically pulled her into the dining room, clearly starving.

 

Anadil usually trailed afterp her just slightly, but for once she was actually walking side by side with her.

 

It was kind of nice...

 

And she was surprised by how warm’s Hester’s hand was.

 

It was the opposite of Anadil’s own hand which was about as cold as her hands were pale.

 

Hester didn’t look back at her friend and instead focused on the idea of food as the staff and servants stared at the two of them.

 

Hester ignored the small blush on her own face and didn’t notice the bright red color of Anadil’s.

 

~

 

Beatrix saw everyone staring at the two of them while they ate.

 

“Ree, I don’t think we’re passing off as a couple,” she whispered.

 

Reena scooted her chair closer as she finished eating and set her head on Beatrix’s shoulder.

 

The latter froze for a moment and glanced at her friend, heart racing.

 

What was wrong with her?!


	3. Chapter 3

Sophie grabbed her pencil and a pad of paper, intent on writing a letter to Agatha and having the carrier crow bring it to her.

 

Dear Aggie,

 

This place is so weird! It’s all upside down and backwards! Yesterday, Nicola suddenly said that we were dating to trick the king! And now we’re stuck sharing a room and a shockingly small bed that really should be bigger considering the castle (I don’t know if you and Teddy would even want them as allies, especially considering if their rooms indicate their respectability). Also, Hester and Anadil?! Yesterday, they started holding hands and now they’re pretending to be together?! Aggie, please tell me this isn’t going to last more than a few days because Nicola is getting on my nerves! SHE’S the one that said we were together and then she went around insulting me, claiming that she “wasn’t happy about this” and that I’m “not her type”! I’ll show her! I’m a catch and a half... no, I’m fifteen catches! Stupid reader girl. Aggie, when we get back you should give her the death sentence! I’ll show her. I’d be the greatest girlfriend in the whole Endless Woods! She’d be lucky to have someone half as good as me! She even settled for HORT! And she’s way out of his league by the way, Aggie. Sure she’s annoying and stubborn, but she’s pretty... and nice... but she’s still SO ANNOYING! Anyways, I miss you, Aggie! I love you! Tell Teddy he’s a boob for me!

Love, Sophie 💋

 

She sealed the letter and slipped it into an envelope.

 

She gave it to the bird and unceremoniously threw it out of the window.

 

She heard shuffling behind her turned around to see Nicola coming out of the bathroom, fully dressed.

 

Sophie turned and huffed, rolling her eyes as the girl yawned, clearly not fully awake yet.

 

Sophie strode past her and pushed the bedroom door open.

 

Nicola followed after her quickly, remembering the lie of them being together.

 

Sophie didn’t realize how close the other girl was so close until Nicola’s hand slipped into her own.

 

Sophie’s eyes widened dramatically and she looked over at the other Gavaldon girl.

 

“I thought you were supposed to be a good actress,” Nicola hissed with a small glare.

 

Sophie stiffened and met Nicola’s harsh gaze for a moment before she gave her a, fake, smile.

 

“Oh isn’t this castle wonderful, darling? So romantic!”

 

Sophie pulled Nicola closer and set her head on her shoulder, looking around the castle with a grin.

 

Nicola’s eyes widened and she looked down at the blond, shocked that she was actually going along with the lie.

 

She internally congratulated herself for finding Sophie’s weakness.

 

Her pride.

 

Insult Sophie and you could make her do practically anything you wanted.

 

She’d figured that out when she’d first read Sophie and Agatha’s fairy tale.

 

She’d learned a lot of things about Sophie that way... perhaps more than she would be willing to admit she’d noticed.

 

“Nic-Nic, you’re taking forever. Come on, I’m hungry.”

 

Sophie pulled Nicola toward the dining room, looking exactly like the classic girlfriend pulling their boyfriend somewhere.

 

Nicola shook her head and glanced at Sophie.

 

Since when was she capable of acting? She certainly couldn’t back in Gavaldon, Nicola thought with a raised eyebrow.

 

“Since when do you even eat breakfast?” Nicola asked, settling back into the act a bit easier than she would admit.

 

Sophie giggled and slapped Nicola’s arm, making the black-haired girl raise an eyebrow.

 

Sophie had certainly never been so good at acting before now.

 

Nicola wondered when she’d gotten better.

 

~

 

Beatrix glanced at Reena as she kept sneaking bits of food off of Beatrix’s own plate.

 

She tried to be subtle, but Beatrix could tell.

 

She could also tell just how close the other girl was to her and it was kind of making her brain short circuit a bit.

 

She tried her best to not focus on the girl but she was just. Right. There.

 

She shook her head, trying to ignore that her short hair brushed against the top of Rena’s head as the Arabian princess leaned on her, and cleared these weird thoughts from her brain at once.

 

It was just this place messing with her.

 

It made everything seem upside down and weird.

 

Because Beatrix would never actually date Reena.

 

Of course not.

 

And that definitely didn’t make her heart ache because that would be insane.

 

~

 

Hester strode into the dining hall and looked right at the food.

 

She hadn’t eaten well for over a week with their constant traveling.

 

Anadil, although having been completely distracted by Hester all morning, actually found herself staring at the breakfast as well.

 

Hester took a seat first.

 

Neither of them were used to holding hands, so it was unexpected as Anadil was pulled down beside the tattooed witch.

 

She would have expected Hester to let go of her, but it seemed as if her grip was tight as ever.

 

Anadil tried not to read too much into that... even if she didn’t know what she would actually be reading into.

 

A lot of weird and confusing things were happening ever since they got here.

 

She wanted, no, she needed to get out of here before something... worse happened.

 

Hester was already piling food onto her plate, though her surprisingly comforting hand hadn’t left Anadil’s.

 

Anadil knew she hadn’t ever held Hester’s hand before this.

 

And why would she? They were Nevers and they didn’t do such things.

 

But she, internally, had to admit that it was actually... nice to hold her hand.

 

It was warm and rough, but not uncomfortably so. It was a comforting level of heat (almost like a nice fire to warm yourself beside on a particularly cold night) and her hand wasn’t too calloused and instead the roughness seemed more soothing (as if to remind her that it was in fact Hester that was holding her hand and not some imposter that looked like her. Those callouses were that of a true witch).

 

She shook her head, face heating up.

 

She shouldn’t be thinking so much about her friend’s hand... but here she was, still wondering why that small contact made her feel so safe.

 

Hester has always made her safe, always been there for her even back in their first year.

 

It was hard to get on Hester’s good side, to gain a place in the heart she claimed to not have, but once you did... Hester was exceedingly protective.

 

Anadil frowned and forced herself not to think about that.

 

Why had she been thinking so much about Hester anyways? That seemed creepy.

 

Hester glanced at her before slipping her hand from Anadil’s.

 

She immediately missed the warmth that Hester offered, both literally and figuratively.

 

“Ani, you going to eat?” Hester asked, pulling her from her thoughts.

 

Anadil nodded, perhaps a bit quicker than she should have at the question, and started to pile bacon onto her plate in great heaps.

 

Hester stared at her for another moment before she went back to her own food, practically inhaling the toast she hadn’t even bothered to butter.

 

The two ate in silence, an odd and unnatural awkwardness settling over them.

 

~

 

Sophie had always been proud of her acting skills, but this was by far her best work.

 

She was being incredibly convincing and even she was surprised.

 

Especially considering how little she wanted to be doing this.

 

She never wanted to pretend date Nicola again.

 

It was annoying and the girl was just so...

 

Ugh!

 

Sophie wanted to scream, but instead she took a seat beside Reena with Nicola at her side.

 

Sophie daintily put fruit on her plate and Nicola rolled her eyes, grabbing toast, eggs, bacon, and more until Sophie list track of all the girl had gotten.

 

“Sophie, you’re way too worried about your weight. You’d still be pretty if you put on a few pounds,” Nicola said.

 

Nicola realized what she said and her eyes widened.

 

It wasn’t that Sophie was particularly pretty or anything but... well, everyone knew she was pretty! It was a central part of the plot in her fairy tale after all!

 

Also, this was all for the act.

 

Of course.

 

The act.

 

Sophie was silently screaming as she looked at Nicola, her face turning a dull red color as she did so.

 

“Uh... thanks, Nic,” she said awkwardly, taking a bite of her fruit.

 

Nicola nodded as if it were nothing and Sophie shook her head.

 

What was wrong with her?!

 

Why was this for making her feel so weird?!

 

She was just some silly first year that Sophie shouldn’t even care about.

 

But instead she was sitting here with a light blush on her face at the simplest of compliments.

 

Something really was wrong with her.

 

Just then, there were heavy footsteps as two grouchy forms walked in.

 

Hort and Ravan.

 

Hort’s eyes landed on his girlfriend and he grinned broadly.

 

He quickly covered it as Nicola gave him a glare.

 

Sophie found herself glaring as well

 

He couldn’t just blow their cover like that!

 

This was very important for Teddy and Aggie and she wouldn’t have that weasel-faced buffoon mess this up for them.

 

And there was absolutely no other reason to be upset about the Neverboy that had just come in.

 

Absolutely none.

 

So then why did his smile make Sophie’s insides boil with rage?

 

She found no answer for her question as Hort and Ravan sat down beside Nicola.

 

Sophie continued to eat her fruit, pretending not to listen to Nicola and Hort’s whispered flirting beside her.

 

It didn’t work too well.

 

~

 

Agatha heard pecking on her window and jumped, looking over at the sound and seeing a small bird with a letter in its mouth standing on the edge and looking at her impatiently.

 

She opened up the window and the bird fluttered in.

 

The bird let out an exhausted sound and Agatha took the letter, setting the bird gently onto her dresser as it fell asleep from tiredness.

 

She opened it and was met by Sophie’s familiar, dainty handwriting and quickly read the contents of the letter.

 

She frowned.

 

More than half of this was just Sophie complaining about Nicola.

 

She had thought her best friend had come along on their fellow reader recently, but she guessed they hadn’t.

 

She sighed and pulled out her own pencil and a new piece of paper, whistling to call another bird.

 

This one that Sophie had sent was far too spent to travel again so soon.

 

She wondered how the tiny creature had even made such a long trip in the short time period in the first place.

 

She gently set the second bird on the window sill and it took off in the direction of the other kingdom.

 

~

 

Sophie looked up as the king sat down at the head of the very large table.

 

Dot and Kiko hurried in, both turning red and offering their ‘sincerest apologies’ to the king.

 

The man laughed and waved it off as they sat down and started to eat.

 

Sophie glanced at Nicola.

 

The girl was completely distracted by Hort as the two talked and she frowned slightly.

 

She suddenly remembered her new goal of this trip.

 

To show Nicola that she would be a great girlfriend and she was way out of the nerdy girl’s league.

 

She leaned over and put her head on Sophie’s shoulder as the king started to speak about diplomacy (which she, obviously, tuned out).

 

Nicola glanced at her and raised an eyebrow.

 

Hort just stared at the two, clearly trying to hide his jealousy.

 

The two girls he had crushes on (at separate points, of course) were both sitting extremely close and it made him frown.

 

He forced himself to look back at the king, not noticing that Ravan was glaring at not only the two girls but Hort himself.

 

The Neverboy started muttering something about stupid blonds and blind boys before stuffing food in his mouth.


	4. Chapter 4

Hester saw many staff members whispering while looking at her and Anadil.

 

She growled and glared at them, making many turn pale and look at each other worriedly... at least the male servants did.

 

The female servants giggled and kept whispering while looking between the two 'girlfriends'... especially Hester.

 

She frowned in confusion and glanced at Anadil, wondering if she knew what was going on.

 

The albino looked just as troubled as she looked at the workers.

 

Hester shrugged and went back to her breakfast.

 

Anadil reached out to get more bacon, but there was none.

 

She glared at Hort as she saw him shoveling the last bit down his throat.

 

Hester glanced up and stared at Hort narrowly for a long moment before huffing.

 

"You should have grabbed more earlier before they got here."

 

"It's not my fault I didn't think they'd eat bacon. I didn't think they were cannibals!"

 

Hester stared at her before snickering at the insult.

 

It was the most creative way to call someone a pig that she had ever heard.

 

Hester grabbed onto a fistful of her own bacon and dumped it onto Anadil's plate with an eye roll.

 

Anadil stared at her in shock, her face turning red.

 

"Hester, take you food back," she said.

 

Hester rolled her eyes again.

 

"Ani, just eat it, okay?" she snapped, glaring at the girl.

 

Anadil let her gaze for a long, tense moment before she sighed and looked down at the bacon, grabbing a piece.

 

There was more giggling from the female maids and eye rolls from the males.

 

Hester raised an eyebrow before shrugging and eating the last bit of her own breakfast.

 

She tried not to think about giving her food to Anadil.

 

She never shared food.

 

Anadil was still blushing and looking at Hester as if she expected her to demand the bacon back.

 

But she never did.

 

Anadil smiled as she finished, a rare sight.

 

Hester glanced at her and found it hard not to smile back.

 

~

 

The king raised an eyebrow.

 

He'd expected Tedros of Camelot to have been lying about having friends like them...

 

But it was clear that the two witches were together.

 

He'd even read the fairy tale last night and seen the proof.

 

It seemed as if they had recently gotten together, however, based on the fact that the albino still blushed whenever the tattooed one got too close or did something kind.

 

He was, however, still on the fence about a few others, so he called a few servants over and whispered to them that they should check on these so-called couples.

 

He was surprised as one witch, Hester, gave the other food.

 

Tedros had been telling the truth about at least two...

 

But the king still didn't trust him.

 

He had trouble trusting... his kind.

 

~

 

Beatrix and Reena looked up as a few servants came to clear their dishes.

 

Reena grabbed onto her best friend's hand and scooted her chair even closer.

 

Beatrix swallowed nervously.

 

The close proximity still made her feel awkward for unknown reasons.

 

Reena seemed happy, however.

 

The two of them had always been close, but they'd never been overly affectionate like some friends.

 

Maybe Reena wanted to be (if seemed like she did from the way she curled up beside Beatrix)...

 

And perhaps she wouldn't mind being more like that herself.

 

Yeah, she could get used to that... even if her face still started to heat up as Reena shifted, head nose tickling her neck gently.

 

Neither of them paid much attention to the staring servants looking for any sign of romance.

 

And boy did they find some.

 

~

 

Sophie wondered if Agatha had gotten her letter by now.

 

She hoped so.

 

Maybe Aggie had even written back.

 

She didn't know why she wanted to have Agatha's opinion on her and Nicola fake dating and the way that it seemed to be affecting her.

 

She hoped the queen would share in her outrage for the other girl having suddenly sprung the idea of their pretend relationship... but she doubted she would.

 

Agatha would probably be happy that she was helping Tedros and would tell Sophie it was just for a little while.

 

Sophie rolled her eyes and ignored the fact that she was being the overtly affectionate one by setting her head on Nicola's shoulder at the moment.

 

Sophie was quite proficient at ignoring when she was being hypocritical.

 

She had a lot of practice.

 

The king started to discuss a tour of the castle today and the start of diplomacy tomorrow and Sophie had to fight to not groan out loud.

 

They needed to get out of here before this place got any worse...

 

She shoved down the feeling of disappointment she knew she would get if the trip was called early.

 

She told herself that any regret she would feel would be because she couldn't help Agatha and Tedros... but even she knew that was a lie and she was quite good at ignoring the times she told herself such falsehoods.

 

~

 

Hester saw the servants still looking at her and she shrugged her shoulders uncomfortably at the attention.

 

What were they looking at?

 

Did thy recognize her from Sophie and Agatha's fairy tale?

 

She wasn't sure, but it was very disconcerting.

 

She didn't know why, but she grabbed onto Anadil's hand.

 

She told herself it was because they were watching and they had to act like a couple...

 

But there was the weirdest voice in the back of her head saying that wasn't it.

 

It seemed like she almost found... comfort in Anadil's hand?

 

That seemed weird.

 

They were Nevers.

 

Sure they were best friends, but they wouldn't find that kind of emotion in just a simple contact, right?

 

She wasn't sure and that kind of scared her.

 

Hester looked over at Anadil and saw her staring at their hands as well.

 

For some reason, Hester could tell she felt that warm, reassuring feeling that Hester herself did.

 

That made her feel better for reasons unknown.

 

~

 

"Nic-Nic, the garden sounds so romantic!" Sophie said a bit too dramatically and Nicola rolled her eyes.

 

Sophie was overdoing it a bit.

 

Nicola refused to admit just how her heart beat a bit quicker as Sophie moved closer.

 

Of course her heart wouldn't change pace.

 

It was just Sophie, the super annoying girl that she'd read about many times and found herself disliking more and more each time... well, after she had met her in person things had gotten slightly better.

 

Just slightly, however.

 

The two still argued a lot.

 

She wondered if the two would actually be able to pull this thing off.

 

There could be some disastrous affects if they couldn't.

 

~

 

Anadil looked at the maids and servants as they kept looking at Hester, many still giggling.

 

Hester let out a growl (although Anadil wasn't sure what this particular disgust was directed at) and maids whispered behind their hands with wide smiles.

 

Anadil felt something in her heart clench and she found herself squeezing Hester's hand tighter than before.

 

The tattooed witch looked down at her and raised an eyebrow, her way of asking what was going on.

 

Anadil shook her head and Hester looked away, not commenting on Anadil's tight grip on her hand as many females kept looking at Anadil's pretend girlfriend.

 

The word pretend just felt...

 

Anadil didn't allow herself to delve into that considering how concerning the thought already seemed.

 

She wondered why Hester kept making her feel all weird lately.

 

~

 

Hort glanced at his girlfriend and ex-crush, the two far too close for his comfort.

 

He didn't like the idea of the two of them getting any closer (both figuratively and literally in this particular case).

 

He didn't want the two to discuss him...

 

But that somehow seemed to be the least of his worries with the two of them being together.

 

Now that was weird.

 

~

 

The king clapped his hands happily.

 

"Who's ready to go out to the gardens?" he asked, passing the plate to a servant that then hurried off to take it to the kitchens to get cleaned.

 

Sophie pretended to be excited (although she found she really didn't need to pretend... odd).

 

Hester and Anadil let out identical groans before glancing at each other smirking (but Anadil was blushing just slightly at their interaction).

 

Hort looked at Nicola and Sophie with narrow eyes, not noticing how Ravan kept looking at him with a mixture of hurt and anger.

 

Ravan couldn't decide whether he wanted to throttle Hort or... he trailed off with a small awkward cough even though he hadn't even speaking aloud.

 

The king grabbed his husband's hand and eagerly led then from the dining room.

 

Anadil felt Hester grab her hand again and tried not to think about how right it felt to have Hester's hand holding her own.

 

That was a weird and slightly uncomfortable thought.

 

Anadil shook her head and cleared the weird feelings from her mind (well, she tried to at least).

 

~

 

There was a loud chirping sound from the window and Sophie looked over with a surprised look.

 

It was a bird singing a very out of tune song.

 

She rolled her eyes as she hurried to open the window.

 

Agatha has picked a bird much like herself with dark black feathers and unmatched eyes.

 

It wobbled on its feet as it stopped screeching its tuneless song and Sophie grabbed it, pulling it into the dining hall.

 

The bird tried to bite her and she barely extracted the letter from its leg before unceremoniously dropping it onto the table.

 

Nicola gave her a glare and grabbed onto the bird, stroking it softly and getting an appreciative chirp in response.

 

Sophie ripped open the letter and was met by Agatha’s illegible scrawl.

 

Dear Sophie,

 

You’re there for as long as it takes to get us an ally. I’m glad you and Nicola are pretending to be together. Please don’t blow this for us. Also, are Anadil and Hester being believable? I wasn’t sure if they’d be able to pull off the kind of affection shown in this kingdom. They’re very open with feelings and emotions... something I can never imagine those two being. I was starting to think I should have picked someone else, so it’s great that you and Nicola stepped up.

Love, Agatha

 

Sophie sighed and rolled her eyes.

 

Of course they had to be like this.

 

Stupid backwards country.

 

She glanced up at Anadil and Hester, the albino actually having awkwardly put her head on Hester’s shoulder a few minute ago.

 

At first, she’d thought it was clear how uncomfortable they were and it might be ore believable if they didn’t do that... but now they two were whispering like they always did as if they weren’t sitting closer than she’d ever seen them.

 

She raised her eyebrows in surprise.

 

Hadn’t seen that coming...

 

She looked around for a pencil for a minute before one was shoved into her face.

 

She jumped back a bit, almost tripping, and looked up.

 

Nicola was impatiently holding the pencil out for her.

 

She eyed her a bit distrustfully for a moment before taking it and writing a hurried response to her best friend/sister.

 

She tried to give it to the bird, but it squawked at her in a way very reminiscent of Agatha and tried to bite her finger.

 

Nicola let out a sigh of frustration and snatched the letter from Sophie’s hand.

 

She let out a quiet bird chirp and held out the letter hopefully.

 

The bird gave Sophie a scathing look before allowing Nicola to put the paper on its leg.

 

“What did you say?” Sophie asked.

 

“I asked her to take the letter. And she called you a... well, I’m not going to repeat what she called you.”

 

Sophie took a sip of coffee and Sophie stared at her.

 

“Since when could you talk to birds?”

 

Nicola rolled her eyes and didn’t respond.

 

Maybe... maybe Sophie didn’t know much about the girl.

 

She squared her shoulders.

 

Well, if she was goin to show that she would be the perfect girlfriend, one way out of Nicola’s league, then she’d have to know a bit more about her.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soman really isn’t clear on physical appearances so I went out and said that Sophie is short and Hester and Nicola are tall.

~~A~~ gatha opened up a new letter from Sophie and her eyes widened slightly.

 

Dear Aggie,

 

I hope we'll be done soon. And, actually, Anadil and Hester are doing really well. The king and servants don't seem to suspect anything at all. Everything seems to be going well. By the way, have you ever noticed that Hort and Nicola are actually kind of annoying. I was happy for them to get together but... I don't know, they're just... Nicola's out of his league. But whatever, it's her mistake anyways. Can't wait to get back to the castle and see you, Aggie!

 

Love, Sophie

 

Her eyes widened.

 

There were several things she couldn't believe about that letter.

 

First, Anadil and Hester were actually pulling this off?! How?!

 

Second, things were actually going well?! She hadn't been sure any of them would be able to pull this off!

 

Third, Sophie had been happy for Hort and Nicola?! She had thought Sophie was upset that she didn't have Hort's complete and undying attention!

 

Fourth, what had changed her mind?! Sophie actually kind of sounded... she didn't want to say jealous but... well, actually, she did want to say jealous. Sophie sounded jealous...

 

But... Agatha thought that, for once, she wasn't jealous of Nicola having Hort's attention.

 

But that was weird.

 

Why else would she be jealous about those two being together?

 

It couldn't be that she would want Nicola's attention.

 

She couldn't be... jealous of Hort, could she?!

 

That sounded insane!

 

Agatha had never thought that Nicola and Sophie had actually been particularly close.

 

And why would Sophie actually want Nicola's attention?

 

Did she.... have a new best friend?

 

Agatha shook her head because that was ridiculous.

 

She didn't need to keep being so worried about their bond.

 

This must be something else.

 

She could want to have Nicola as her friend, but she didn't demand that Agatha break up with Tedros to be her friend (although to be fair that was a recent bangs of heart).

 

So it (probably) wasn't that.

 

And suddenly Agatha had a weird thought.

 

A very weird thought.

 

Sophie couldn't...

 

No, Sophie had always liked guys so this couldn't be that...

 

She shook her head.

 

Of course it couldn't be that...

 

But she still found herself hinting at it in her letter.

 

~

 

The servants were still whispering and giving Hester long looks.

 

Anadil looked at them and felt a weird feeling in her stomach.

 

The king stood and gave a long speech about alliances and trying to find political ties.

 

Hester and Anadil obviously didn't listen to him.

 

When he was done, he demanded they have a guide through the castle.

 

Hester sighed and rolled her eyes, standing up.

 

Anadil followed her like she always did and prepared to flank her side like she and Dot always did...

 

But Hester grabbed onto Anadil's hand and the albino found herself walking side by side with her best friend.

 

She felt her face heat up.

 

She wasn't sure why, but she found herself feeling... embarrassed.

 

~

 

Sophie saw Nicola giggling at something Hort said and rolled her eyes.

 

The king started to exit the room and Sophie grabbed onto Nicola's hand, pulling her out of the room.

 

Nicola looked down at their hands for a moment and raised an eyebrow.

 

"I thought you were against this," she whispered.

 

"Well, Aggie begged me to do this and I can't let her down," she responded just as quietly.

 

Nicola nodded and the two walked in silence beside a very awkward Beatrix (who was holding hands with a seemingly relaxed Reena).

 

~

 

Anadil saw the maids walking down the hall whispering and pointing at the two of them... but Hester in particular.

 

She found herself tightening her grip on Hester's hand slightly.

 

The tattooed witch glanced over at her for a moment, glancing at both her face and hand.

 

But Hester stayed silent, still not really understanding why these people kept looking at her.

 

~

 

Ravan glanced at Hort as he kept stealing looks at Nicola.

 

He scoffed.

 

Nicola wasn't even that pretty or perfect like Hort kept going on about.

 

He'd talked about Sophie that way once before too.

 

It was like he was so obsessed with how perfect they were that he didn't really seem to know... anything about them.

 

He knew that Nicola was 'pretty and smart', but he didn't seem to know much more than the fact that she liked to read.

 

It was like he knew them as romantic interests and not as people really.

 

It made Ravan want to scream in frustration (in fact, he had the night before on the balcony while Hort was still daydreaming about his girlfriend like some Ever).

 

Ravan shook his head in frustration.

 

Why couldn't...

 

Why couldn't he see things that were right in front of him?

 

Ravan growled at his own transgression into such... Ever-y emotions.

 

He shouldn't have let himself have such feelings, but of course he'd messed up.

 

Every  Never seemed to do it (and it didn't matter to him that Nevers really could have healthy relationships nowadays)... even the witches.

 

He could tell that Hester and Anadil were incredibly convincing for a reason.

 

Hadn't they been going out since last year?

 

He had assumed so, but it seemed like they were still dancing around it with so much annoying angst.

 

And it was clear that Dot was flirting with Kiko over there, even if neither of those two could see it.

 

Ravan guessed that having come to term with his own terrible feelings toward the annoying weasel was enough to make him able to see other people's annoying feelings.

 

He stifled a laugh as Anadil glanced down at her hand that was currently holding Hester's and blushed.

 

Hester seemed oblivious to Anadil's quite obvious feelings.

 

At least the two were believable as a couple, he supposed.

 

He glanced up at Sophie and Nicola, seeing both of them quietly bickering while also trying to pretend like they were happily in love.

 

That was... strange.

 

What was Sophie smiling about?

 

That smile definitely didn't seem fake.

 

There was something weird going on over there, but he just couldn't tell what.

 

~

 

Nicola heard a familiar bird chirping and looked up.

 

The carrier bird that Agatha had sent was back.

 

It landed on her shoulder as the group made their way through a large windowed corridor.

 

Sophie reached for it and the bird let out a loud, aggressive chirp.

 

Nicola chuckled and rubbed the bird gently on the head and then handed the letter to Sophie.

 

The blond quickly unfolded the letter, excited to see the most recent message from her best friend

 

Dear Sophie,

 

I'm surprised about Hester and Anadil. But I guess I shouldn't be. They always seemed to be willing to do the dirty work to help the world (or in this case their friends). And I don't know about Hort and Nicola. They seem kind of good together. And why do you think Nicola's out of his league?

 

Love, Agatha

 

Sophie gaped for a moment, seeing the part about her thinking that Hort and Nicola were actually good together.

 

That was... that was... insane!

 

Why would she say (or in this case write) something so insane?!

 

Sophie shook her head and hurriedly wrote a response.

 

The king seemed displeased, but his husband put an affectionate hand on his shoulder and the man relaxed.

 

Sophie quickly finished writing her letter and tried to hand it to the bird.

 

Nicola caught her hand before she could attempt and took the letter from her fingers.

 

Sophie felt a tingling sensation where Nicola had touched her.

 

She stared at Nicola without realizing it as the girl sent the bird away.

 

She stood shock-still as Nicola grabbed her hand and apologized for the interruption and led her back to the group.

 

She didn't notice it, but Ravan was staring at her with narrowed eyes.

 

~

 

A particular maid kept looking at Hester and she had enough.

 

Anadil let go of Hester's hand as the king started to talk about the history of one of their painting.

 

She ignored the pang of disappointment she felt when she let go.

 

"Hey, why are you staring at her?" Anadil asked aggressively.

 

The maid jumped slightly and looked at her.

 

The maid seemed to shrink under her gaze and fled, leaving a very confused Anadil.

 

She glared at the other girl as she scampered off.

 

There was another servant there, a male one, and he let out a laugh.

 

"It's because they think she's hot."

 

Anadil's eyes widened.

 

"This is an Ever kingdom. They've never met someone like her. It's like epitome of the 'bad girl' image."

 

Anadil found herself blushing.

 

She could kind of understand that.

 

Actually she could really understand that.

 

Her face turned a brighter pink color at the thought.

 

The servant rolled his eyes.

 

"Yeah, it's a silly stereotype, but there's never been anyone to fit the stereotype in our kingdom."

 

Anadil was too surprised to glare at him before he disappeared, clearly sensing that Anadil would attack him when she was done being in a state of shock.

 

Hester walked up and looked at her.

 

"Are you alright?" she whispered, sounding worried.

 

Anadil blushed and looked away, nodding.

 

Hester raised an eyebrow and shrugged, grabbing onto her hand and leading her back to the others that hadn’t seemed to notice their absence.

 

Hester raised an eyebrow at that and got a smirk on her face.

 

Anadil felt her heart beat quicken.

 

Yes, she could see why these maids would see Hester as the bad girl trope...

 

~

 

Nicola glanced over her shoulder and Hort waved at her with his adorable little smile.

 

She gave him a quick glare.

 

They were supposed to be pretending to be gay and here he was acting like they were together... even though they were.

 

But Nicola was supposed to be dating Sophie right now.

 

She needed to remind Hort of that.

 

She pulled Sophie closer and set her arm around her shoulders.

 

The blond’s eyes widened dramatically and looked at her.

 

Nicola glanced at her as if to say ‘don’t blow this’ and Sophie stopped walking in surprise.

 

She stumbled and Nicola straightened her.

 

Sophie glanced up.

 

Since when had Nicola been so tall?

 

She remembered Nicola being shorter than her.

 

But the reader seemed to be a good few inches taller than her now (though most people were taller than Sophie).

 

Sophie found herself frowning.

 

She usually didn’t care about people being taller than her (especially Hester. She was pretty tall and whenever she would make fun of her she would say ‘what guy would want a girl taller than them?’ and laugh... Hester would roll her eyes and say that she didn’t want any guy and then Anadil would act all weird for the next few minutes).

 

But this time Sophie was a bit upset.

 

She didn’t know why.

 

And she also didn’t know why Nicola’s arm around her shoulder made her feel all... warm.

 

That’s not weird, right?

 

Nicola saw there were a few maids looking at them and gave Sophie a brilliant smile.

 

Sophie had never noticed just how pretty that smile was...

 

She didn’t smile that often, but it seemed like it was worth it to make her happy enough to.

 

Why was she smiling?

 

It made Sophie’s insides just about melt.

 

That wasn’t weird.

 

Of course not.

 

~

 

Agatha opened her newest letter from Sophie.

 

Dear Aggie,

 

Yeah Hester and Anadil are doing great. We all are. But Nicola is way out of Hort’s league! She’s pretty... really pretty... anyways, she’s also super smart, way smarter than Hort. She’s annoying and stubborn, but she’s witty and funny. Hort’s not in her league. He’s like fifteen leagues below her. They can’t last very long like that. But Nicola’s still like three leagues below me and she should never lied about us being together. Nobody would believe it, right? And Hort needs to stop sending her little puppy dog looks... anyways, I think we’re doing great!

 

Love, Sophie

 

The letter fell from her fingers and her eyes widened.

 

Seriously?!


	6. Chapter 6

Agatha just stood there for a long moment, staring at her hand where the note used to be.

 

She didn't seem to have noticed that the letter was now on the ground.

 

Sophie...

 

She had to be imagining this.

 

But Agatha had always known what Sophie was thinking, whether they were speaking or just writing in letters.

 

Sophie knew her just as well.

 

Sophie...

 

She couldn't believe this.

 

It couldn't be possible, right?!

 

Sophie had been dreaming of boys all her life (quite literally) and so this was insane.

 

She shouldn't even be having this thought.

 

She was probably just upset that Nicola was dating Hort.

 

But she didn't sound jealous of her.

 

In fact she was saying that Nicola could be doing better.

 

"Agatha, are you okay?" Tedros asked, hurrying down the hall.

 

Agatha didn't acknowledge him.

 

Because Agatha could tell what was happening with Sophie even if she couldn't.

 

"Agatha, what's wrong?"

 

Tedros was holding her arms and shaking her gently.

 

"Sophie."

 

"What about Sophie?" he asked.

 

"Sophie... likes... Nicola."

 

~

 

Sophie ignored Nicola's arm around her shoulders.

 

Well, she tried to ignore it.

 

It was hard to do that when she could feel Nicola's warmth and, oddly, smell her.

 

Nicola was like a little furnace. She was like the opposite of Rafal.

 

She smelled like old books and vaguely like violets.

 

Of course Nicola smelled like books.

 

She spent so much time with those old tomes that she permanently smelled like them.

 

She would roll her eyes, but she found it far too cute for her to even think of being annoyed.

 

She blushed at the idea.

 

Of course Nicola wasn't cute.

 

She was just some annoying Reader from Gavaldon.

 

~

 

"Ani, I'm not doing it. There are a lot of things that I would do for Agatha. I would kill for her, I almost died for her, and I would certainly curse her ox of a husband. But I will not walk through a garden with this king telling me about how interesting and historical those tulips are."

 

Anadil snickered.

 

Hester pulled her friend (and fake girlfriend) off by the arm she had looped around her waist for the servants that were currently watching them.

 

Anadil picked her head up from Hester's shoulder.

 

As soon as the two were out of sight, Hester removed her arm from around Anadil's waist.

 

She ignored the sense of loss she felt.

 

"So, where are we going?" Anadil asked as they stalked through the halls.

 

Hester's eyes sparkled with mischief.

 

"Wherever we can make the most damage."

 

Anadil's heart beat faster.

 

She could understand the bad girl image that all of the maids were talking about.

 

Of course Anadil shouldn't want a bad girl, right?

 

She was supposed to be a bad girl herself, right?

 

She glanced at Hester and found her eyes landing on the girl's tattoo.

 

That really completed the image and Anadil had to admit that even if Hester's demon didn't come to life... Anadil would still find it awesome.

 

~

 

"Of course she likes Nicola. They're friends."

 

Agatha shook her head.

 

Tedros frowned and stared at her.

 

This is why that king hadn't liked him.

 

He didn't seem to have an open mind... or perhaps he was just ignorant enough to not think about it and accidentally insulted someone.

 

He wasn't mean spirited, just sometimes... not the brightest bulb in the bunch.

 

"No."

 

Tedros frowned.

 

"Sophie likes Nicola."

 

Tedros stared a her for a moment, clearly not understanding what she meant.

 

Then understanding dawned on him.

 

"Oh. OH! Like... the kingdom they're at?"

 

Agatha nodded.

 

"Oh."

 

Agatha nodded.

 

"I'm right there with you," Agatha whispered before grabbing onto a paper.

 

She scrawled a quick letter to Sophie and then sent it off with the bird.

 

She was so surprised that she decided to take a seat.

 

Right there.

 

On the ground.

 

In the middle of the hallway.

 

~

 

Hester and Anadil were sneaking through the hallway when they heard footsteps.

 

Well, Hester heard the footsteps.

 

Anadil was rather distracted by something she'd been distracted by for a long while now.

 

And that something was Hester.

 

She wondered idly if Hester actually dyed her hair or if it had something to do with the demon.

 

She'd come to the conclusion that it was most likely the latter considering she'd never seen Hester dye her hair before and she honestly couldn't even imagine her doing it.

 

Hester heard the footsteps and knew they might get Agatha in trouble if they were caught sneaking off from the king... especially considering they were Nevers in an Ever kingdom.

 

She saw Anadil keep walking and she reacted the only way she could.

 

Hester grabbed onto Anadil's hand and yanked her backwards, shoving her up against the wall and putting a finger to her own lips.

 

She made a quiet shushing sound and looked over to the side.

 

She didn't notice the bright red color of Anadil's face as she stared at her friend.

 

There were footsteps and Hester moved closer, holding her breath and watching.

 

She'd never noticed how Hester's eyes had a spark in them, a red flame almost.

 

She'd never noticed how Hester's hair curled a little bit at the end.

 

She wasn't like an Ever.

 

She wasn't unrealistically beautiful and overly obsessed with it.

 

But Anadil found her gorgeous.

 

From the way her tattoo twitched when she was angry to the way her lips curled into an almost demonic grin when she was planning something.

 

She wasn't perfect (or pretending to be like the Ever girls), but Anadil still saw her as such anyways.

 

There were sudden giggles and the two jumped, looking to the left and seeing several servants (both male and female) watching them.

 

Hester felt heat seeping into her cheeks and becoming a light pink color.

 

Anadil, however, was a bright red color and she was wondering if she could sink into the shadows and never come out.

 

"Sorry for interrupting," a man said with a wink.

 

"Don't let us stop you."

 

With that, the servants walked off, most of them still laughing loudly.

 

Hester stood there for a moment and Anadil didn't seem to be able to do anything but breathe.

 

Hester looked back down at her and Anadil's face was almost as red as Hester's hair.

 

The two just stared at each other for a long moment.

 

Hester stopped back and Anadil felt that intense moment end.

 

It seemed like that moment left something in its wake, however.

 

Something that certainly hadn't been there before.

 

"Come on, I think we need to get back to the group," Hester muttered.

 

Anadil nodded wordlessly and followed her after her.

 

Her heart was beating like it usually did during battles.

 

~

 

"Agatha. Agatha, wake up."

 

Agatha looked up at her husband.

 

He was holding her gently in his arms and looking at her worriedly.

 

"Tedros, what do I do to help her?"

 

Tedros stared at her.

 

"I dunno. Maybe you should help her realize how she feels first?"

 

Agatha stared at him for a long moment.

 

"That's the smartest thing you've ever said."

 

Tedros smiled for a moment before it fell.

 

"Wait what?"

 

~

 

Sophie looked up as the bird landed on Nicola's shoulder.

 

The girl looked over and took the letter off its leg and handed it to Sophie.

 

The blond opened it and tilted it away from Nicola's view, feeling oddly embarrassed of the idea of her seeing it.

 

She smiled at the familiar, and terrible, handwriting on the paper.

 

Dear Sophie,

 

I'm glad you guys are doing well and I hope you finish soon. And... what’s going on with you and Nicola? Are you two friends now? I hope so because it’s super annoying when you two fight all the time. I’ll see you in a few days.

 

Love, Agatha

 

Sophie grabbed the pencil Nicola offered without a second thought.

 

Friend?

 

Were they friends?

 

She kind of hoped so.

 

Yeah, they were, right?

 

But the idea of them being friends made her feel all... weird.

 

That had nothing to do with Nicola’s arm around her shoulder.

 

Nope.

 

Of course not.

 

Sophie sealed the letter and Nicola took it and gave it to the bird.

 

Nicola gave her a smile and Sophie wasn’t sure if she was faking it or not.

 

The idea of her not actually faking it made Sophie’s stomach feel funny.

 

The bird took off and she smiled, thinking of her sister.

 

Sophie didn’t notice Nicola glancing at her out of the corner of her eyes.

 

~

 

Hester and Anadil snuck into the group, but several laughing servants gave them away and the rest of the group looked at them.

 

“Looks like some of us were having fun,” Ravan said with a smirk.

 

Anadil blushed bright red.

 

“I guess that’s why Anadil’s hair is so messed up,” Sophie snarked.

 

Anadil glared at her and touched her hair, finding that her rats had indeed tangled it up.

 

Hester was looking at Ravan, her gaze clearly dating she was going to kill him when she got the chance.

 

The king gave them a wink and even Hester turned a light shade of pink.

 

Ravan rolled his eyes as he saw Anadil glancing at her best friend.

 

He knew what none of them did.

 

~

 

Reena glanced at her friend, wondering if she even cared.

 

She was trying to get her attention with this place as an excuse, but her fellow princess didn’t seem to notice.

 

Reena set her head on Beatrix’s shoulder.

 

She looked at her friend and was about to sigh when-

 

Wait, was that a blush?

 

Her face looked pink.

 

Beatrix scooted closer to her and Beatrix’s face turned red.

 

She was sure of it now.

 

She brought her hand up and played with Beatrix’s hair.

 

It was short and cut at the base of her chin, as it still hadn’t grown out since their second year,and curly.

 

Reena messed with the hair, a smile on her face, and looked at her friend’s expression.

 

The girl was sending her fervent glances every once in a while and Reena found herself grinning.

 

Reena wondered if Beatrix felt the same way as she did.

 

Neither of the girls seemed to notice that Ravan was staring at them with disgust and shaking his head.

 

~

 

Beatrix glanced at Reena and wondered what was going on with her.

 

Why was she making her feel all... weird lately?

 

She wasn’t sure why.

 

Then she felt Reena twirling her hair and her heart started beating twice as fast as before.

 

“I like your hair like this. It looks really pretty,” Reena said with a grin and a quiet giggle.

 

Beatrix hadn’t really thought about her hair in a while, in fact she’d been thinking about cutting it again because it was getting in the way, but now she couldn’t imagine doing that.

 

Reena... liked her hair?

 

She felt heat rush to her cheeks.

 

Ravan scoffed in the background.

 

~

 

Hester put her arm around Anadil’s waist as she saw a maid looking at them.

 

She didn’t know why it made her feel all... angry?

 

Anadil glanced at her and kind of shrugged.

 

She was used to it now.

 

It still made her heart beat faster and her stomach start churning like a cauldron with a potion in it.

 

That didn’t stop her from putting her head on her friend’s shoulder.

 

“Glad you two got to have fun while the rest of us were busy listening to this boring king,” Sophie said as they passed.

 

Nicola’s cheeks turned a faint red color and Sophie didn’t seem to notice.

 

She did notice the bright color of Anadil’s face, however.

 

She let out a laugh and Anadil subconsciously curled up closer to Hester in her embarrassment.

 

The tattooed girl either didn’t notice or didn’t care as they kept walking.

 

For a moment Anadil thought it was the former... that is until Hester tripped Sophie and the blond went flying.

 

Anadil let out a laugh and gave her friend a wide, thankful smile.

 

Hester gave her a smirk and a wink, making Anadil’s heart hammer in her chest.

 

Those maids really knew what they were talking about...


	7. Chapter 7

Nicola felt Sophie suddenly falling over and she grabbed onto her instinctively.

 

She had Sophie around the waist now and the blond Never grabbed her around the neck in an attempt to stay upright.

 

Nicola stared down at her and froze.

 

Sophie's face turned bright red and she could feel her breath mingling with Nicola's in between them.

 

She still smelled like books and violets and Sophie found herself thinking something odd.

 

She'd never smelled anything any better.

 

She'd smelled perfume and lotions, flowers and cologne...

 

But it seemed like Nicola's resting scent had them all beaten.

 

She looked up at the girl and realized something.

 

She knew that Nicola was pretty.

 

She'd even said so in her letters to Agatha actually...

 

But right her she didn't just look gorgeous and absolutely stunning... but for some completely insane reason, she looked like a knight out of some fairytale book that Sophie would have read in Gavaldon.

 

She was a girl, yes, but girls could be knights in shining armor too.

 

Sophie had never thought of that before...

 

But it seemed so... right.

 

Nicola lifted her back up to her feet, setting her down.

 

She didn't want Nicola to let her go.

 

There were two reasons for that.

 

First, Nicola was making her stomach feel all fuzzy at the contact...

 

And second... she wasn't completely sure her knees would be able to support her.

 

Sophie realized she was still staring at her friend and looked away right as she wrapped an arm back around her shoulder again.

 

Ravan choked in the background.

 

"Come on, lovebirds!" he called.

 

Sophie blushed a deep red.

 

~

 

"Thanks, Hester," Anadil mumbled.

 

The other witch's eyes widened and she looked at her friend.

 

"Whatever," she muttered.

 

Anadil glanced at her and caught sight of a small red tint to her cheeks.

 

Or was she imagining that?

 

She thought it was real.

 

She hoped so...

 

She didn't know why, though.

 

~

 

Hort stared at his girlfriend and Sophie.

 

That had been a very weird moment between the two of them.

 

He didn't like that.

 

Not in the least.

 

Ravan was staring at him and glaring.

 

He's so blind, Ravan thought with a sigh.

 

Why does he want them? What do they have that... that I don't? Depth?

 

He knew he wasn't being fair, but that didn't matter.

 

He was in love (yes, in love. He'd just realized just so how he cared last night and screamed into his pillow and cursed the ugly weasel of a boy) with a guy who was too busy drooling over two different girls in front of them.

 

Ravan, for all his noticing of his friend's emotions, didn't seem to see the servants all staring at him and shaking their heads at his obvious pining over the other boy.

 

~

 

Hester didn't know why she'd cared that Anadil was embarrassed.

 

She shouldn't.

 

They were just friends and Nevers...

 

But she still felt defensive of her friend.

 

Hester still loved the feeling of having her arm around her waist like that.

 

And she knew she shouldn't, knew it was completely wrong.

 

Nevers shouldn't care about each other like this.

 

And she knew she should distance herself from Anadil now and never talk to her again.

 

But instead she kept walking, her arm around Anadil and perhaps holding her tighter than before.

 

She didn't know if the albino noticed.

 

And she knew she shouldn't be enjoying this fake dating.

 

And of course she didn't.

 

She couldn't.

 

~

 

Anadil knew she was enjoying this fake dating.

 

She couldn't help it.

 

And she was starting to think she knew why and that absolutely terrified her.

 

She felt Hester's arm tighten and pull her closer than before.

 

She blushed slightly and tried to ignore how much she enjoyed this.

 

She tried to ignore it...

 

But she seemed to have been ignoring it for far too long.

 

~

 

Dear Aggie,

 

I think we're friends? I hope so. We're getting on better terms. And, Aggie, get this... she smells like books! I can't believe that! She's such a nerd! A stubborn, annoying nerd. Did you know she even has a bag to carry those books?! That's so nerdy! A whole bag! And there's at least fifteen of them in there! It weighs like fifty pounds! She must be stronger than she looks to carry that!

 

Love, Sophie

 

Agatha had doubted it before... but she couldn't anymore.

 

Remembering those small, tiny details about Nicola were enough to tell her that she was...

 

Agatha was right.

 

Sophie had a crush on Nicola and, judging by the letter, it was a big one.

 

Tedros was looking at her with wide eyes.

 

"So?"

 

It was a simple question, but she knew what he meant.

 

She always did.

 

"She does."

 

Tedros stared at her for a long moment.

 

"Oh."

 

She shook her head.

 

That's what he always said nowadays.

 

~

 

"You should just tell him," said a servant.

 

Ravan looked over, away from Hort that is, at the other man.

 

Ravan didn't say anything.

 

"It won't hurt anymore than this pining, angsty thing you're doing. Maybe you could even move on," the man said.

 

Ravan grunted and gave the man a dark glare.

 

The servant raised his hands up.

 

"Just saying. That's how I found my husband."

 

Ravan found his face turning a bit red and shook his head, looking anywhere but at Hort.

 

"Leave me alone," he growled with a dark look.

 

The man held up his hands and walked off.

 

~

 

Reena looked over at Beatrix and saw she was looking down at her.

 

Their eyes met and Reena felt those sparks fly that she always expected to find in a prince from a faraway land.

 

But instead she'd found it from a princess who just happened to be her best friend for the past few years.

 

Beatrix seemed to feel it too as her eyes widened slightly.

 

Reena found herself smirking and making plans for later already.

 

She'd waited long enough already.

 

She had to make a move at some point.

 

It might as well be now... or well, in about three hours.

 

~

 

Anadil looked at her best friend and felt her stomach keep churning.

 

"Ani, why do you keep staring at me?" Hester asked bluntly.

 

Anadil blushed.

 

"I'm not. Just watching that squirrel. I hope he falls out of that tree," Anadil lied.

 

She pointed out past her friend's head.

 

Hester glanced over and got her trademark evil grin.

 

Anadil got that now-familiar weird feeling she always did when she saw that expression on her face.

 

Her finger flowed red and the tree branch under the squirrel broke under it, letting out a loud squeak.

 

The two of them let out laughs.

 

Anadil couldn't help but smirk at the action.

 

It made her feel...

 

She sighed.

 

It made her feel like an Ever.

 

She felt her face flush and tried to ignore Hester's arm around her waist.

 

But she couldn't.

 

It seemed like she couldn't ever ignore anything Hester did.

 

She really did like her.

 

This stupid kingdom must have done something to her.

 

She couldn't believe she had a crush.

 

And not just on some random person.

 

No, Anadil wasn't that lucky.

 

She had a crush on someone who wasn't just her best friend, but also the second most feared Never in their school year that had never shown any signs of romantic interest toward anyone.

 

Great.

 

Just great.

 

Anadil let out a growl much like Hester's and her friend looked at her.

 

For once she didn't notice something Hester did.

 

And that something was a very worried look.

 

~

 

Dot and Kiko walked side by side in the hall.

 

Dot felt Kiko’s hand intertwine with her own and felt her face turning pink.

 

She leaned over.

 

“Kiko, we’re not pretending to be a couple,” she whispered, her heart beating faster.

 

Kiko turned her brilliant, beaming smile on her (though she could tell there was a bit of fear in it this time).

 

“Why pretend when we can have the real thing?” she asked with a hopeful smile.

 

Dot’s heart started beating faster than ever before (even when they were in battle).

 

Dot wordlessly pulled Kiko closer and put her head on her shoulder.

 

Kiko let out a giggle.

 

Dot grinned and moved closer... again.

 

~

 

Hester frowned and looked at Dot and Kiko.

 

“I didn’t know they were pretending to be together,” Anadil whispered.

 

Hester smirked.

 

They always seemed to think the same thing.

 

“They weren’t.”

 

Hester and Anadil looked at each other for a long moment.

 

“They couldn’t be...”

 

Both of them shrugged.

 

“She’d tell us,” Anadil said.

 

“Of course. Our friendship is so open and nonjudgmental,” Hester said.

 

The two of them cackled evilly.

 

Hester glanced over and saw Anadil still laughing.

 

She’d always liked it when Anadil laughed.

 

It made her look simultaneously evil and... beautiful.

 

Hester felt her face turn red and looked away with a small cough.

 

~

 

Sophie looked over at Nicola and raised an eyebrow.

 

What was making her feel so weird?

 

There was just something about Nicola that was making her feel...

 

A weird feeling that she didn’t really enjoy... but it was oddly intoxicating.

 

~

 

Reena smiled and looked at her friend.

 

The king had just told them to get back to their rooms before a meeting tomorrow to discuss the actual reason for their visit.

 

Beatrix was saying something about going to the kitchen, but Reena tightened her grip on Beatrix’s hand and instead pulled her back out to the garden.

 

She smiled and looked around until she found what she was looking for.

 

She found the lily section.

 

She smiled and plucked a blue one from the bushes.

 

Nobody knew this, but her favorite flower wasn’t roses like all the princesses that dreamed of getting one from her prince. And her favorite color wasn’t pink.

 

She liked lilies and and blue and... hopefully girls.

 

Beatrix stared at her with wide eyes.

 

“Beatrix, I love you. I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember and probably longer... you know how bad my memory is,” she let out a shaky laugh at her self deprecating joke.

 

“You’re kind and sweet, caring and gentle... but you’re not like the other Evergirls. You don’t take things lying down and you’re so strong. Every time I think of you my heart gets all fluttery. Will you be my girlfriend?”

 

Beatrix stared at her with wide eyes.

 

She’d been asked out a bunch of times by a bunch of guys.

 

But there was something every single one of them said.

 

And that was the word ‘beautiful’.

 

But Reena hadn’t said a word about her appearance.

 

She’d talked about how she was as a person and how she thought of her.

 

She had never had anyone say anything this romantic to her.

 

Her heart fluttered in her chest as she looked down at her friend.

 

Reena was on one knee in front of her with her favorite flower up in the air.

 

“Yes,” she breathed.

 

Reena’s grin split her face and she hurriedly scrambled to her feet.

 

Beatrix took her flower in a shaking hand and Reena continued to beam at her best fri-girlfriend.

 

She was smiling at her girlfriend.

 

Beatrix leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Reena’s waist.

 

“I love you too,” she whispered softly.

 

Several servants exchanged money as the two kissed.

 

“Told you they were really together,” one said smugly while another grumbled with a dark glare.

 

The servants left after a moment and allowed the two girls to have their moment in the garden.

 

~

 

Dot giggled as Kiko ran a hand through her hair, laughing into their kiss.

 

Kiko was grinning and she could feel it against her lips.

 

“I think I kind of like this kingdom,” Dot whispered when they separate for air.

 

“I do too. But not as much as I like you,” Kiko said with a smirk.

 

“Stop being so romantic,” Dot whined.

 

Kiko pulled back.

 

“Oh, I’m sorry I offended you with my love.”

 

Dot giggled and pulled her back by the neck and met her lips.


	8. Chapter 8

Reena tugged Beatrix through the halls, the two giggling quietly and constantly shushing each other.

 

Reena opened the door and pulled Beatrix inside.

 

She kept smiling and Beatrix found herself joining in.

 

“I know we’re busy trying to help Agatha,” Reena purposefully didn’t say Tedros’ name, “but as soon as we leave, I’m going to give you the best date of your life!”

 

Beatrix blushed and smiled at her new girlfriend.

 

“I’ll hold you to that.”

 

Reena laughed and spun in a circle before falling onto the bed.

 

“I’ve been wanting to ask you out forever! Do you think I don’t have the perfect date in mind? You underestimate your girlfriend, Bea.”

 

Beatrix blushed again and looked at the Arabian princess.

 

She shouldn’t have doubted...

 

How had she not realized she liked Reena before?

 

She liked the way she laughed (they’d been taught the proper way at school, but when she was really happy she’d snort and sometimes even almost fall out of her seat), the way she always curled up in a little ball when she fell asleep (perhaps the reason why she fell off that horse the time she fell asleep), the way she always laughed when something rhymed...

 

Beatrix shook her head and sat down on the bed.

 

She should have known before.

 

But she guessed everything had ended well.

 

She laid down on the bed and Reena curled up into a ball at her side, her head on Beatrix’s shoulder.

 

Yes, everything had ended up quite well.

 

She put her head on Reena’s own and fell asleep easily, even if it was a bit early.

 

~

 

Sophie glanced at Nicola as she closed the door to their room.

 

She didn’t know why Nicola kept making her feel so... she didn’t even know how to explain it.

 

There was a tap on the window and Nicola opened it, taking the letter from the bird without looking up from her letter.

 

She frowned.

 

Did that girl ever look up from her books?

 

She took the note as Nicola held it aloft and opened it to find her sister’s familiar script.

 

Dear Sophie,

 

I’m glad you and Nicola are getting closer. Especially because you like her-

 

Sophie stopped reading and her eyes widened dramatically.

 

I DON’T HVAE A CRUSH ON NICOLA! she thought.

 

Her eyes went down to the paper.

 

Yes you do.

 

How did Agatha know what she was thinking?!

 

Because I’m your best friend. Now calm down and realize that you’re into Nicola. Now, I know you can’t read too much in your shocked state so just know that you need to just be yourself-no, scratch that. Be nice and try to tell her how you feel.

 

Love, Agatha.

 

Sophie stared at the paper in shock and tried not to blush.

 

That didn’t work.

 

Her face was a bright pink color and if Nicola hadn’t been staring at her book she would have notice even from ten feet away in the dark lighting.

 

“You going to send a letter back or are you upset with Agatha and not sending a reply?” Nicola asked, still not looking up.

 

“Uh,” she coughed to try and clear her throat as it suddenly closed up on her, “yeah just give me a second.”

 

Dear Aggie,

 

I do not like Nicola. She’s just an annoying little know it all that needs to shut up! She’s always reading and she never looks up from her book... gives that thing more attention than her boyfriend... her stupid, stupid boyfriend... I hate him. He needs to go jump off a cliff, Aggie.

 

Sophie stopped writing as something, slowly, dawned on her.

 

Aggie, help me. I do like her. Please help me!

 

Love, Sophie

 

She sealed the letter tightly (the idea of Nicola reading it made her stomach crawl and for once she knew why. Damn you, Aggie) and handed it to Nicola.

 

She set it on the bird’s leg and it took off back to Camelot.

 

Nicola looked back down at her book and Sophie sighed.

 

She now realized that she wanted the attention Nicola was giving her book... she wanted it for herself.

 

She wanted to get rid of the annoying weasel so she could... have Nicola for herself.

 

She growled and flopped onto the bed in a way that was very undignified.

 

How can I even like her?! She’s reading her history textbook on her own time! Why would she do that?! Nicola’s annoying and snobby. She‘s the opposite of me and I shouldn’t want anything to do with her! Sophie thought.

 

But instead, Sophie found herself watching the way Nicola’s eyes flashed back and forth at speeds Sophie had never seen before. She looked entranced by the words that would have put Sophie to sleep.

 

Nicola looked more... pure right now than Sophie had ever seen.

 

She looked so...

 

Sophie blushed again.

 

Damn you, Aggie, she thought bitterly.

 

~

 

Hester glanced over at Anadil and saw her glaring at one of her rats.

 

She poked it harshly and it hissed, falling over and glaring at her.

 

Hester raised an eyebrow and glanced at her friend.

 

The only time she abused her rats like that was when she was really upset about something.

 

And Hester shouldn’t care.

 

She really shouldn’t.

 

“Ani, stop attacking rat number two,” she said levelly.

 

Anadil jumped and looked over at her, a bit of color coming into her pale face.

 

“She had it coming,” Anadil muttered, shifting away from Hester slightly.

 

The tattooed witch rolled her eyes.

 

Anadil wasn’t going to tell her.

 

And, once again, she shouldn’t care.

 

But it... hurt her feelings that Anadil wouldn’t talk to her.

 

She laid down on their bed and Anadil shoved her rats onto the dresser beside their bed and laid down at the very corner.

 

Hester rolled her eyes.

 

Anadil would tell her eventually.

 

She always did.

 

~

 

“Nic, we need to get some sleep. Can you please put down your book and turn out the light?” Sophie asked, finding herself sounding nicer than... well, than ever.

 

“Just let me finish my chapter,” Nicola said in a distracted tone.

 

Sophie rolled her eyes.

 

How could she like this girl?!

 

Nicola flipped the page and Sophie found herself watching her.

 

Sophie forgot she was supposed to be nice and started to whine like a child (she seemed to have her guard down around this girl and she hated it).

 

“Niiiiic,” she said with a pouty face.

 

“Let me finish!” she snapped.

 

Sophie had enough of it and flopped across the bed, her head landing on Nicola’s lap and blocking her book.

 

Nicola froze for a moment and looked down at her.

 

Sophie suddenly realized what was happening and her face turned red.

 

Nicola, for once, didn’t seem to be focusing on her book.

 

She was looking down at Sophie and their eyes seemed to bore into each other.

 

Sophie liked the brown, chocolaty color of Nicola’s eyes.

 

Which didn’t make sense considering she had always found brown eyes common and boring.

 

But Nicola’s seemed like the exception.

 

A lot of things about Nicola seemed like the exception.

 

~

 

Nicola found heat rushing to her face as she looked down at the pesky blond.

 

She was petulant, boring, needy, dramatic, vain, and downright diabolical (not to mention she was moronic at the worst possible moments).

 

But Nicola couldn’t seem to focus on those flaws.

 

All she could see was that quick wit (usually when it came to insulting people), snarky, weirdly funny, defensive of those she cared about (no matter how few of those there were), and ever since her fairytale she wasn’t scared to be herself.

 

She wasn’t one of those people that was going to be fake nice (anymore that is) and Nicola liked that.

 

Sophie’s blond hair splayed out on Nicola’s lap and the bed around her, the girl’s big emerald green eyes looking into her own.

 

She found all thoughts of her book flying from her brain.

 

That never happened.

 

Even when she was with Hort.

 

She couldn’t even remember what book she was reading for a moment as the two just looked at each other.

 

Sophie’s face seemed a faint pink color.

 

And just like that, Nicola found that she had forgotten all the time she had spent hating Sophie when she read her fairytale.

 

She temporarily forgot how long she had spent daydreaming over Hort.

 

Because in that moment, all that mattered was her and Sophie right here.

 

But, as all moments do, it ended.

 

Nicola remembered Hort.

 

She remembered her book.

 

And she remembered how much time she had spent hating Sophie.

 

But that still didn’t seem important.

 

Oddly enough, it felt silly.

 

The two laid there for another minute, Sophie seemingly in a daze.

 

Nicola shook her head and raised her book to read.

 

She found herself reading the same paragraph three times and not gaining any of the information.

 

She pretended to keep going and finished the chapter (she had only been three paragraphs away and if Sophie had just been a little more patient she would have been to bed already).

 

She set the book down and Sophie jerked slightly.

 

Sophie day up and didn’t look at Nicola, her face still red, and pointed at the lights.

 

“Turn them out. I need my beauty rest.”

 

Nicola found herself thinking that she really didn’t.

 

She flicked off the lights hurriedly as her face heated up.

 

Sophie found herself thinking about the day moment they’d had.

 

Nicola had been staring at her too and...

 

She found herself smiling at the memory and shook her head as she laid down.

 

She needed to stop thinking these things.

 

But she couldn’t now.

 

She couldn’t believe she had a crush on that crazy girl.

 

~

 

Hester heard Anadil snoring and after a moment her friend rolled over.

 

Her face was calm and peaceful.

 

Hester was about to fall back asleep, but Anadil was suddenly really close.

 

Hester has never thought that Anadil was what people would call ‘cuddly’, but now she was suddenly curled up beside her.

 

Anadil’s head was on Hester’s shoulder, her hair lightly tickling her, and she had somehow slung her arm around Hester’s stomach.

 

The only sound in the room was that of Anadil’s snoring and Hester’s own heartbeat hammering in her ears.

 

If anyone else had done this, Hester would have thrown them out the window.

 

Even Dot would have gotten a rude awakening by Hester’s growls and yells before being shoved off the bed.

 

But Anadil snuggled closer to Hester and she didn’t do anything.

 

She just laid there for a moment before gently wrapping an arm around Anadil’s shoulders and back.

 

Rats scuttled across the bed and settled on the pillow on Anadil’s head and against Hester’s cheek.

 

Hester fell asleep soon after.

 

Her last thought was of why Anadil was always so special to her.

 

~

 

Ravan settled down beside Hort and tried not to think about his heart rate going up.

 

“What do you see in her anyways?” Ravan found himself saying.

 

“Who?”

 

“Nicola.”

 

“She’s smart and funny, really pretty and kind...”

 

Ravan rolled his eyes.

 

“But I feel like she’s growing away from me lately.”

 

Why? Because she and Sophie were having that weird sexual tension today? he thought.

 

“She seems like she doesn’t want to go on dates anymore. She just studies and reads her books. I can’t even get her to look up no matter what I do.”

 

Ravan couldn’t stop himself from speaking.

 

“You deserve better than that. Someone who wants to spend time with you too.”

 

Hort glanced over at him with wide eyes.

 

He looked at Ravan like he never had before.

 

“But she’s so amazing,” Hort was speaking in a hushed voice as if he had never willed to even think such thoughts, “and I think she’s way out of my league. I could never get someone like her again.”

 

“Maybe you don’t need someone like her. Maybe you need something... different.”

 

Hort looked at him with that same new gleam in his rodent eyes.


	9. Chapter 9

Hort stared at Ravan and found himself leaning toward him, eyes falling on Ravan' s lips.

 

Hort found he had the strangest urge to... kiss him.

 

And he almost did.

 

But then he remembered Nicola.

 

But he didn't remember that he liked her.

 

All he remembered was that he was in a committed relationship.

 

Hort was a lot of things, but a cheater was not one of them.

 

For once his relationship with Nicola felt more like a shackle than a gift.

 

He felt terrible about it as he looked at Ravan.

 

He knew now how he felt about Ravan... and it was more than he had ever felt for Nicola.

 

It made him feel guilty.

 

He wouldn't have ever imagined it before, but he was going to have to break up with Nicola.

 

~

 

Nicola glanced at Sophie.

 

The Never had fallen asleep and for all her talk about being perfect and getting her beauty sleep... she looked like a crazy person when she slept.

 

Her blond hair was all messed up and some of it was even in her open mouth.

 

Nicola had seen her with all of those lotions and makeups on her face, but Nicola couldn't help but think this was the most beautiful she'd ever looked.

 

She smiled at her for a second.

 

Sophie was annoying and frustrating, but Nicola realized she couldn't help but...

 

Nicola's eyes widened and shot back to the blond.

 

No.

 

There was no way.

 

She couldn't...

 

Why did everyone fall for that girl?!

 

She had found it insane reading the fairytale, but now she was the one doing the same thing.

 

Sophie rolled over in bed and Nicola growled, shoving the blond over and shoving her face into her pillow.

 

She wasn’t sure what she would rather do: kill her or kiss her.

 

Actually, there was an equal chance that she would do either one.

 

~

 

Anadil woke up to find her head nuzzled into Hester’s neck.

 

She blushed, remembering what she had figured out the day before, and pulled back.

 

Hester just pulled her closer and let out a groan.

 

Anadil felt her eyes closing, remembering how she’d woken up just like this yesterday.

 

She could actually get used to waking this way.

 

Of course she could.

 

Because she clearly had a crush on Hester.

 

She sighed and Hester let out a vaguely displeased sound as it ruffled her hair.

 

Hester moved her head closer to Anadil’s and the albino witch turned a bright pink color.

 

Anadil had a long and thorough thought about how much she hated her feelings.

 

How she hated the way her heart always skipped a beat with Hester.

 

How all these stupid romantic Ever things happened whenever she was with her best friend.

 

It made things awkward and frustrating.

 

And now she had to deal with the fact that she had a crush on Hester (and if she was being particularly honest she would say in love with Hester).

 

It was the worst part of being a Never.

 

No entanglements.

 

But she had already found a best friend she would honestly die for... and now that best friend was somehow more and she couldn’t stand it.

 

~

 

Nicola woke up early.

 

She saw Sophie sprawled our messily on the bed and rolled her eyes fondly (FONDLY!) before she crawled out, careful not to wake up the blond Never.

 

She made her way down the hall and was about to knock on Hort and Ravan’s door when it opened right in front of her.

 

She jumped slightly and Hort would have screamed if she didn’t slap a hand over his mouth just as he opened it.

 

He looked down at her and she had the weirdest feeling he was thinking the same thing as her.

 

She motioned for her to follow him and they quietly made their way down the hall until they were a good distance from the bedrooms.

 

“Nicola,” Hort started.

 

But he spoke at the same time that Nicola said his own name.

 

The two looked at each other for a moment before both spoke simultaneously.

 

“I think we need to break up.”

 

They stared in shock.

 

Hort was the first to recover.

 

“I think I’m in love with Ravan.”

 

Nicola stared at him with her mouth agape.

 

“What?!”

 

Hort blushed and scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

 

“Why did you want to break up?” he asked, clearly trying to steer the topic away from his newfound attraction to his fellow Never.

 

This time it was Nicola’s turn to blush.

 

“Who is it?” Hort asked.

 

“Sophie...”

 

Hort just about fainted.

 

~

 

Agatha sighed as she read Sophie’s latest letter.

 

This reminded her of their first year at school when Sophie had come to her for help with Tedros.

 

Except this time Agatha certainly wasn’t going to tell her what to say and she was not going to let this one fall in love with her.

 

She scrawled another letter to Sophie and gave it to the bird, shaking her head.

 

Sophie claimed to know everything about romance, but it seemed like she needed lots of help.

 

~

 

“You’re in love with Sophie?!” Hort hissed quietly.

 

Nicola blushed and looked at the ground.

 

“Yeah, I was shocked too.”

 

“As in Sophie of Woods Beyond?”

 

“No, Sophie of Ravenswood! Of course I mean Sophie of Woods Beyond!”

 

Hort stared at her for a long moment before shaking his head.

 

“Do you know how many people have tried to win that girl’s heart?”

 

“Of course I do! I’ve read her fairytale over thirty times! And I don’t intend to win her heart. I just didn’t think it was fair to date you when I knew my heart wanted someone else.”

 

By the end of her rant, Nicola was looking back at the ground again and looking dejected.

 

Hort sighed and put a hand on her shoulder.

 

“I get it. I’ve been in your shoes before. You’ll move on.”

 

Nicola looked up at him and sighed, shaking her head.

 

“I can’t believe I fell for her.”

 

Hort chuckled.

 

“Welcome to the club.”

 

~

 

Hester woke up and glanced at Anadil, slightly curled up like one of her rats lying just above her head.

 

Hester was a heartless, stone-cold villain.

 

But she couldn’t make herself wake up Anadil when she looked so... cute.

 

She felt heat in her cheeks and looked away from where Anadil was lying against her side.

 

She couldn’t make herself upsetting Anadil when she was so at peace.

 

~

 

Sophie woke up and looked across the bed, finding that Nicola wasn’t there.

 

She tried not to be disappointed, but it was hard.

 

She had just recently realized her feelings for Nicola (well, more like she was very explicitly told by Agatha about her feelings) and now she wasn’t even here.

 

She was certain that nerd was somewhere reading.

 

She glanced at her book bag in the corner and raised an eyebrow when she saw that it was actually full.

 

So Nicola didn’t have her book with her, wherever she was.

 

Sophie felt excited at the idea and got out of bed, moving toward the bathroom so she could get ready for the day (and by that she meant get ready to try and get herself a girlfriend).

 

~

 

Hort took a deep breath and turned the corner, heading toward the room that he was currently sharing with Ravan.

 

He opened the door slowly and looked inside.

 

Ravan turned around and they locked eyes for an uncomfortably long moment.

 

Hort cleared his throat and moved inside, wishing that he could be anywhere else but here.

 

“Ravan, there’s something I need to tell you,” he started apprehensively.

 

He looked at his fellow Never and chickened out.

 

“I broke up with Nicola.”

 

Ravan moved closer.

 

“I thought she was perfect,” he said softly.

 

The tone seemed to fit the mood.

 

“She is. Just not for me,” Hort said in the same hushed tone.

 

Ravan continued his slow walk across the room and Hort wished her would move faster.

 

“Then who is?”

 

Hort swallowed.

 

“You.”

 

Ravan grabbed him by the collar and pulled him forward, connecting their lips for the first (but definitely not last) time.

 

Hort made a startled sound, but wrapped his arms around Ravan’s waist anyways.

 

This had been a long time coming.

 

When they separated, Ravan gave him a long look.

 

“Took your sweet time, didn’t you?” he asked in a snarky tone.

 

Hort laughed and shook his head sufferingly.

 

“Seems like I did.”

 

He had a short moment to consider how Nicola was dealing with everything, but that moment was cut abruptly short as Ravan pulled him back in.

 

His mind was filled with nothing but his new boyfriend.

 

~

 

Sophie walked down the halls and kept an eye out for Nicola.

 

She couldn’t find her and she frowned in disappointment (although she did feel a bit of relief considering she didn’t have to have an awkward moment with the girl she had fallen in love with while she tried to awkwardly flirt with her... she would probably just end up messing up and having Nicola ask her if she needed to go to the hospital).

 

After a few minutes of walking around, she found Hort and Ravan standing in the deserted halls.

 

Well, walking was not all they were doing.

 

Sophie’s eyes widened in shock and she found herself hurrying forward with no idea why.

 

She pulled Hort away from Ravan and glared at him.

 

“What are you doing?!” she snapped.

 

Hort had the most perfect girlfriend in the Endless Woods (excluding Sophie herself , of course... although, at the moment she couldn’t help but think that Nicola might be... she shoved that thought from her mind) and was CHEATING on her!

 

Sophie found herself about to punch him.

 

And she never punched people.

 

That was far too moronic and undignified for someone like her.

 

But here she was, rearing a fist back to give him a firm hit to the jaw.

 

That is until Ravan shoved her and Hort weaseled out of her grip.

 

“Sophie, calm down! What’s got you so... insane?” Hort asked, looking at her with a bit of fear and stepping back to stand a little bit behind Ravan.

 

“You’re cheating on Nicola!” she hissed, her finger now glowing a brilliant shade of pink that had both Neverboys glancing at it fervently, wondering if the Witch of Woods Beyond would strike again.

 

“No, I’m not! We broke up this morning!” Hort said quickly, hoping that if he could speak fast enough she might spare him.

 

Sophie should still be mad, but her brain staled as she heard his words.

 

They broke up?

 

But why?

 

Her heart beat more than a bit faster at the news.

 

Did that mean that Nicola was single?

 

She had thought she was going to need and fight the weasel boy for Nicola, but instead he was right here making out with Ravan.

 

Sophie took a little while, but she did pull herself out of her daze.

 

“Did you hurt her?” Sophie asked with a dark glare.

 

Hort shook his head and held his hands up (one of them holding Ravan’s).

 

“No! It was mutual! Ask her yourself!”

 

Sophie stared at him for a long moment before slapping the hand that held Ravan’s and snatching it herself.

 

She pulled him down the hallway for a little while, shooting a venomous glare when Ravan tried to follow them, before stopping in a small corner alcove.

 

She found herself blushing as she looked at the ground.

 

“Hort, I need your help,” she muttered.

 

Hort stared at her.

 

“Can you repeat that?”

 

“You heard me the first time, Weasel Face!” she hissed, sounding very much like a snake.

 

“What do you need my help with?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

 

Sophie shifted uncomfortably on her feet.

 

“I want to know how to... how to impress Nicola.”

 

Hort gaped at her, eyes going wide.

 

“Do you... you and Nicola...”

 

Sophie nodded and looked away.

 

“Yeah.”

 

Hort almost fainted (again).


	10. Chapter 10

Hort stared at Sophie for a solid two minutes, not speaking.

 

She awkwardly shifted on her feet and looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

 

“Nicola?” he asked.

 

Sophie nodded and glared at him.

 

“Are you going to help me or not?” she whispered.

 

Hort just looked at her for a moment before nodding.

 

“What do I do?” she asked.

 

Hort took a second to consider before he responded.

 

“You should just tell her how you feel,” Hort said.

 

Sophie shook her head quickly.

 

Hort frowned.

 

“Why not?”

 

Sophie-

 

Wait, was she blushing?!

 

Yes, Hort could see a small red tint to her cheeks.

 

“Because... she’s an Ever.”

 

Hort raised an eyebrow.

 

“And I’m a Never. She dated me.”

 

“But...”

 

Sophie trailed off and blushed a deeper shade of red.

 

Hort stared at her until she continued.

 

Sophie has been trying her hardest to not admit this to herself (let alone Hort), but... she needed to admit it.

 

“She’s out of my league, Hort,” she muttered.

 

Hort stared at her.

 

“She’s smart and pretty and to top it all off she’s a good person. I know I’m hot and smart in a pinch but... she might have liked you, but you’re not evil like me. You’re the sweet, adorable kind of puppy way you are. I’m the real evil. Nobody likes that. Only person that would ever accept that except Agatha. Even Hester has Anadil practically drooling whenever she walks into the room!”

 

Hort almost passed out for the third time that day considering the fact that he was hearing Sophie being insecure.

 

That...

 

That had never happened.

 

He may have stared spluttering, but instead he caught sight of Nicola standing just a few feet down the hall from the two.

 

Her mouth was open wide and she was looking at Sophie like she had grown a second head!

 

(Almost like she was Ravan during the circus of talents).

 

Hort stared with wide eyes over Sophie’s shoulder and the blond was about to aggressively ask him why he was ignoring her...

 

And then she glanced over her shoulder.

 

She caught sight of Nicola and her whole face filled with heat, her cheeks turning a bright red color.

 

Hort disappeared around the corner (but you’re insane if you think he didn’t listen from around the corner).

 

Sophie stared at her awkwardly for a second before she turned and was about to make her way around the corner.

 

Nicola hurried to catch up to her.

 

“Wait,” she said softly.

 

Sophie instantly froze, looking back at Nicola with a crazy sense of hope.

 

She knew she shouldn’t, but she couldn’t help it.

 

Sophie had never thought of someone as ‘out of her league’, but here she was, staring at the beautiful girl across from her and hoping (practically praying) that Nicola would give her a shred of hope.

 

Sophie cursed her newfound sense of weakness toward Nicola.

 

She didn’t know why the girl held such a vice-like grip on her heart like that.

 

But she knew one thing.

 

She was in love.

 

And she couldn’t do anything about it.

 

Nicola stepped towards her.

 

She trailed toward the blond Never slowly, looking almost as if she wasn’t moving at all.

 

But she moved much too fast for Sophie’s heart to take.

 

She stared at the Ever when she got within two feet and looked her up and down.

 

“Are you messing with me?” she whispered softly.

 

Sophie stared at her and suddenly frowned.

 

Her heart was beating out of her chest and she couldn’t steady her breathing.

 

Sophie watched Nicola still staring into her eyes as if she was trying to look into her soul.

 

“No,” she said just as softly.

 

“Then tell me yourself,” Nicola said gently.

 

Sophie took a deep breath, trying to settle herself down (but it didn’t help that her breathing was still shaky).

 

“I can’t get you out of my mind and it sucks. I’ve tried everything to stop thinking about you all the time, but nothing works. You’re always so nice and sweet, but not overly so. You’re witty and sarcastic and so smart. Nicola, I love you.”

 

Sophie had said it all in one breath and she was now shakily trying to catch her breath.

 

It didn’t work as Nicola took another step forward.

 

She was less than a foot away from Sophie now and she couldn’t function properly as she kept staring at her.

 

Sophie was so out of it watching Nicola that she didn’t even realize how close she really was until Nicola touched her hand.

 

She felt her face turn warmer and she cautiously looked up at the slightly taller girl.

 

“I love you, Sophie,” she breathed just as quietly.

 

Sophie froze and her eyes widened dramatically.

 

Sophie opened her mouth to speak, but Nicola cut her off by kissing her.

 

Sophie was still frozen as Nicola wrapped her arms around her waist.

 

Nicola started to pull away and Sophie suddenly realized something.

 

They were kissing.

 

She was kissing Nicola.

 

Nicola was kissing her.

 

As in Nicola, the pretty Ever that she was in love with and had never thought she would get to reciprocate her feelings.

 

Sophie felt the moment (the one that was supposed to be perfect and mind blowing, spectacular and everything she had ever wanted) ending.

 

She wasn’t going to let that happen.

 

She felt Nicola still pulling away before she wrapped her arms around her neck and pulled her back down.

 

She felt her heart hammer in her chest and she closed her eyes, feeling those amazing fireworks she was supposed to feel when she kissed someone.

 

Sophie had finally found it.

 

She had found her true love.

 

And she felt the same way as her.

 

They pulled away about a minute later (Sophie regretting the need to breath).

 

Nicola stared at her as Sophie tried to catch her breath.

 

Hort giggled (yes, like a little girl) at his two friends.

 

And he totally wasn’t upset that his ex-girlfriend had just gotten his old crush.

 

Nope.

 

Not in the slightest.

 

Okay, so, maybe just a little bit.

 

Ravan slipped his hand into Hort’s and the jealous disappeared just like that.

 

He smiled and turned to his boyfriend.

 

He had absolutely no reason to be jealous.

 

~

 

Anadil glanced at Hester.

 

It had been awkward to wake up beside her again, especially considering Hester had been allowing her to sleep in apparently.

 

But it was alright.

 

It made Anadil’s heart skip a beat just thinking about it, but it was fine.

 

Hester was walking by her side through the hallways when they suddenly saw the craziest sight.

 

Nicola and Sophie.

 

Kissing.

 

Making out in the corner of the hall.

 

Hester stopped walking and Anadil tripped.

 

Hester snatched onto her hand and held her up just before she would hit the floor.

 

As if things hadn’t been awkward enough earlier.

 

Anadil climbed to her feel and blushed.

 

Hester glanced at Nicola and Sophie again.

 

Anadil couldn’t believe the two were actually together.

 

It had been insane enough when they were just pretending to be together.

 

They were polar opposites...

 

And wasn’t Nicola still going out with Hort?!

 

That’s when she saw Hort and Ravan in another corner and she almost threw up.

 

Anadil glanced over at her friend and saw the witch was staring at her as well.

 

Anadil was suddenly struck by a burst of confidence.

 

If Nicola and Sophie of all people could work it out...

 

She turned and went to give into what her heart yearned to do more than anything-

 

But it seemed she was too late.

 

Hester grabbed her around the waist and pulled her over, locking their lips.

 

Anadil’s eyes widened dramatically and she stared at Hester’s closed eyes for a, very, short moment before reacting.

 

She hadn’t thought she would ever get the chance to do this and she was definitely not going to miss out on this once in a life opportunity.

 

She heard footsteps down the hall, but she didn’t register it.

 

She could only comprehend the fact that Hester was kissing her.

 

She pushed Hester back to one of the many corners in these hallways (she was quite sure these were installed on purpose considering how open this kingdom was about relationships and love).

 

Hester’s eyes popped open and she stared at the slightly shorter witch.

 

Her slipped twitched into a smile and her hand found Anadil’s hair, startling her rats and making one of them bite her hand.

 

Hester flicked her wrist absentmindedly, not letting anything distract her from this moment.

 

The rat squeaked as it was sent flying off of Anadil’s head and tumbling to the floor.

 

Even Anadil didn’t notice.

 

There was a gasp and Hester reopened her eyes, seeing Dot and Kiko standing in the hallway (hand in hand) and staring at her with shock.

 

Hester gave them her best glare and a dismissive hand motion with her glowing finger.

 

Dot stared at the two and her mouth split into a grin.

 

Hester’s ginger flowed brightly (brighter than ever before. It was supposed to react to emotions after all... and she was definitely feeling a lot of emotion right now).

 

Kiko’s grip tightened on Dot’s hand and she tugged her from the hallway before the tattooed witch could be enraged enough to have to pull away from Anadil (something that nobody in their right mind would ever want to have directed at them).

 

Anadil didn’t seem to notice the exchange and Hester was glad because it meant they could keep doing this without any more distractions (and if there were any Hester would personally kill whatever had caused it).

 

~

 

Dot was still excitedly talking about her two best friends.

 

Well, talking wouldn’t be the best explanation for what she was doing.

 

She was squealing and clapping her hands, occasionally almost forming words but never quite fully.

 

Kiko glanced at her girlfriend and laughed, rolling her eyes fondly.

 

“They’re going to be so happy together!” Dot was finally able to say.

 

Kiko glanced over her shoulder at the two.

 

They were still kissing and Kiko wondered if the two witches even breathed.

 

“I’m sure they are,” she said, carefully making sure her girlfriend didn’t look back at the two and go back into her excited squealing.

 

“I should get them a present!” Dot said happily, almost skipping down the corridor.

 

“I’m sure they don’t want this to be a big deal. Probably want to be discreet,” Kiko said.

 

Dot glanced over her shoulder and Kiko internally sighed.

 

“If they did, I think they’d go somewhere a little move private,” Dot said with a raised eyebrow.

 

Kiko had to admit that was probably true.

 

Dot continued to talk about how happy her friends were going to be together and Kiko eventually just tuned her out (despite feeling bad about it).

 

~

 

Anadil heard rat number three squeaking from the ground and she opened her eye just a bit to see the rat run across her foot and bite Hester’s ankle.

 

Hester grunted and let out a curse word against Anadil’s lips.

 

The albino snickered and swept her leg down, allowing the rat to climb up and situate back in Anadil’s hair (well, in this case on her shoulder considering Hester would not hesitate to send the rat flying once again if it were to interrupt).

 

Anadil finally felt herself running out of air and pulled away from Hester with a longing feeling, gasping for breath.

 

Hester did the same for a moment before giving Anadil a smirk.

 

Anadil raised an eyebrow and Hester’s grin grew.

 

Anadil caught her breath and saw Hester doing the same.

 

A feeling of dread grew in her chest and she was about to take a step back when Hester gripped her around the waist and hoisted her into the air with that same insufferable smirk on her face.

 

Anadil let out a squeak much like her rat had as Hester set her against the wall.

 

“All that leaning down was giving me a crick in my neck, Ani,” Hester murmured with that same evil glint to her eyes that always made Anadil’s insides melt.

 

The albino was about to demand Hester put her down, but Hester reconnected their lips and suddenly it didn’t seem to matter anymore.


	11. Chapter 11

The visit with the king came about an hour after Hester and Anadil had their first kiss and it couldn’t have gone better.

 

The king said he had misjudged Tedros and Agatha and their “alternative lifestyle” as he called it.

 

The group made their way out of the castle later that afternoon, splitting up into couples along the route.

 

That caused several... incidents.

 

About half an hour into the trip back, Sophie tripped over a roof after staring at Nicola and tumbled down a hill.

 

Hester and Anadil laughed until they almost started crying.

 

Nicola was biting her lip to stop herself from joining in on the laughter and Sophie was glaring at all of them quite vehemently.

 

Another time, Hort and Ravan went off the path to have some “alone time” and got lost.

 

The others found them after about half an hour of searching.

 

Hort had apparently been attacked by a skunk and Ravan had been sprayed trying to protect him.

 

His hair was now slicked against his skull and he tromped through the woods while everyone tried to avoid him and the unbearable stench.

 

Hort clamped a hand over his nose and stayed by his boyfriend faithfully.

 

Before Hester and Anadil could get into some kind of trouble, they reached the castle.

 

Dot breathed a sigh of relief, clearly not wanting to find her friends... together like that again.

 

She was happy about it the first time but it would certainly be awkward now.

 

~

 

Agatha saw the bird fly in through the window with her bite still attached to its leg and frowned in worry.

 

What happened?

 

Why couldn’t it find Sophie?

 

She was already grabbing her essentials to go the other kingdom and demand to know what happened to her best friend.

 

Just as she was about to make her way to the exit, there was a call from one of the servants.

 

“The ambassadors have returned!”

 

Agatha dropped her thing s and raced down the hallways until she skidded to a stop at the front entrance.

 

She saw her friends coming in and she let out a sigh of relief.

 

She rushed forward and grabbed Sophie in a tight, lung constricting hug.

 

Sophie squeezed her just as fiercely, but it seemed like there was something missing.

 

She frowned as she realized that only one of Sophie’s arms was around her.

 

She looked over to the side and saw that Sophie’s other hand was clutching Nicola’s.

 

She grinned and looked at her best friend, winking.

 

Sophie blushed just slightly and looked down at her feet as they separated.

 

Nicola looked almost worried that Agatha was going to attack and/or interrogate her.

 

Agatha laughed and shook her head, calming the slightly younger girl.

 

She looked around and suddenly her fear was back.

 

They were missing someone.

 

Actually, they were missing several people.

 

“Where is everyone?” she asked worriedly.

 

Dot tightened her grip on Kiko’s hand.

 

“They’re around,” she said softly, her eyes looking as if she had been scarred for life.

 

Agatha raised an eyebrow, first at Dot’s words and then at her hand that was still holding Kiko’s.

 

“I’ll go find them. We need to have a celebration,” Agatha said with a firm nod.

 

Dot caught her by the wrist as she was about to pass.

 

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

 

Agatha frowned and looked down the first hallway.

 

She caught sight of not one, not two, but three different couples together.

 

Her eyes widened and she looked back at Dot.

 

The witch nodded and looked a bit sick.

 

Kiko slapped her arm.

 

“Stop being dramatic,” she chided.

 

Dot rolled her eyes and pointedly avoided looking down the hall.

 

Agatha turned to look at her friend and get her take on these new (and completely baffling) relationships, but Sophie was already pulling a certain Ever down another hallway.

 

Agatha made the same face as Dot and Kiko rolled her eyes, tugging her girlfriend further into the entry corridor.

 

“You’re acting like children,” she muttered with a head shake.

 

That’s when Tedros walked up, intent on thanking his friends, to find the new couples.

 

His eyes popped open as he saw Hester and Anadil (the closest couple on the left) and he spun around to look at Agatha.

 

He followed her eyes to where Sophie and Nicola were.

 

Before Agatha could say anything, Tedros’ legs collapsed and she caught her prince.

 

She saw his eyes close and she shook her head.

 

And Kiko thought they were acting like children.

 

She glanced back up at all of the new couples.

 

Her first reaction was that of embarrassment and the wish that they would go do this somewhere more private...

 

But looking again, she was able to see something else.

 

She saw her friends finding true love (finally) and she couldn’t find it in her to even act disgusted.

 

She was just happy for them.


End file.
